Medieval Sundial – Page 21 – GAUDIUM SUB SOLE . SUNDIALS . MEDIEVAL TO MODERN

UPAVON . WILTS . ST MARY THE VIRGIN – FOUR SCRATCH DIALS

Published on June 14, 2021June 14, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

GRADE 1. C11 origins connected to St Wandrille (Normandy). Early C13 and early C15, with C19 restorations. Midway between Amesbury and Marlborough; close to Kennet &Avon canal. 51.2943 / -1.8071 / SU135550

Upavon . Wilts . St Mary the Virgin. Scratch Dial 1

DIALS

BSS records 4 dials, all on quoin stones of the tower. Two are obvious (1 & 2). The other 2, described as eroded, are much less clear. Quite possibly my ID of at least one of these is incorrect – at the time I only knew of the 2 main dials and didn’t have locations / descriptions of the 2 degraded ones to go on. My photos of 4 don’t quite match up with the BSS record. Comments welcome.

DIAL 1

An eroded encircled dial that appears to have been relocated. The lower radials end abruptly, suggesting that one or more originally extended beyond the edge of the stone.

DIAL 2

A simple dial with 2 clear-cut radials, possible traces of a couple more. Several pocks in the area, probably not all related to the dial. Style hole in the mortar line.

Upavon . Wilts . St Mary the Virgin . Scratch Dial 2

DIAL 3

A dial with a filled style hole and a puzzling orientation. A single clear angled line on eroded soft stone; a less defined rough horizontal line from the centre to the quoin edge. This was perhaps the noon line on the stone, later relocated and rotated 90• anticlockwise.

DIAL 4 (?)

More contentious: if this is a 4th dial, it is in very poor condition. There is the hint of a style hole, with an apparent noon-line and other trace lines. Not totally convincing, I agree.

UNDIAL

Two sideways arrows, faint (L) and distinct (R) with other trace lines. Possibly apotropaic marks, or perhaps doodles… or helpful directions to the porch.

GSS CATEGORY: Scratch Dials

All photos: Keith Salvesen

ALTON BARNES . WILTS . ST MARY – SCRATCH DIAL(S)

Published on May 29, 2021February 24, 2022 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

ST MARY . ALTON BARNES . WILTS

GRADE 1. Saxon church, C10-C11 origins with C14 reworking; later work, C19 alterations, subsequent restoration. ‘Awletone’ was first recorded in 825. Historically, at various times united with and detached from All Saints Alton Priors, which is situated just a couple of fields away. Midway between Pewsey and Devizes, close to K&A canal and Marlborough Downs. 51.3572 / -1.8467 / SU107620

DIAL 1

This unassuming little dial is on the N. side of the church, facing the Alton Barnes white horse carved in chalk on Milk Hill nearby. It does not seem to be the dial mentioned elsewhere, for which see Dial 2. I have seen no record of it.

The mortar line acts as the horizontal, and a full circle incorporates both radials and pocks. I sense that this is quite an early dial, perhaps dating from the C14 work on the church. I assume it was originally on the S. side of the church; it must have been relocated to the N. side at some later time. It may look somewhat crude, but fairly robust cutting may have helped to preserve it over the centuries.

DIAL 2

‘Scratch sundial on south-east quoins’ HE

This is the dial that seems to be referred to elsewhere. I speculate C18 or possibly C17. It is high up under the eaves, so much so that it was half in shadow at noon (see gallery below). Perhaps that indicates a relocation at some time, but to a less useful position as a sundial. With a gnomon at the top and in the shade, the dial’s effectiveness would be notably diminished. Perhaps, by then, it was mainly decorative.

St Mary . Alton Barnes . Wilts – Scratch Sundial 2

UNDIAL

Quite often a possible dial suggests itself, though is probably (or on closer inspection, definitely) not one. Here, I liked the look of the filled style hole and the pocks in a plausible formation. I inverted the image to see if it looked any more likely. Not really (I’m happy to be corrected by an expert).

GSS Category: Scratch Dial

All photos: Keith Salvesen

UP CERNE . DORSET – SCRATCH DIAL

Published on May 27, 2021May 4, 2022 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

UP CERNE CHURCH / CHAPEL . UNKNOWN DEDICATION

GRADE II*. Former parish church, now a private chapel in the grounds of the Manor House*. Largely rebuilt in 1870. A few C15 fragments remain. A secluded hamlet with only 2 or 3 cottages besides the Manor and its extensive lake. Excellent walking country. Hidden in a valley midway between Sherborne and Dorchester. 50.8232 / -2.4865 / ST658027

Up Cerne Church . Dorset . ‘Dorset Churches’

DIAL

The dial is quite high on a square quoin stone on the S. Nave. It is inverted and was perhaps saved as an interesting feature – and moved – during the major C19 rebuild. The stone itself is not matched by others nearby and is clearly older, with significant damage.

The dial is roughly formed, with an endearingly wonky eroded semicircle containing a curve of rather haphazard pocks. The horizontal line is clear. If there was a noon line, damage to the stone has erased it, together with (presumably) other features of the dial. It’s hard to tell if the striations in the damaged quadrant evidence radials.

*The Manor House and its grounds are private. There is no public access to the church, which is barely visible from the road. I was fortunate (being local) to be able to gain permission to visit. This is not a dial worth visiting on the off-chance

GSS Category: Scratch Dial

All photos Keith Salvesen except the church – Dorset Churches online

TOLLER PORCORUM . DORSET . ST ANDREW & ST PETER – TWO SCRATCH DIALS

Published on May 26, 2021June 1, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

ST ANDREW and ST PETER † TOLLER PORCORUM . DORSET

GRADE II*. C14 chancel & nave; C15 W. tower, N. porch. Much of interest in the church of the village of swine (or possibly wild boar). Font, bells, gargoyles, ‘dropped’ chancel, and a fine stained glass millennial sundial. Midway between Dorchester (S.E.) and Crewkerne (N.W.) 50.7799 / -2.6224 / SY562979

DIALS

Two adjacent dials – one doubtful – high up on a quoin stone on the N. aisle. Dial 1 is definitely a dial, though hard to see for erosion, lichen and height. Dial 2 is a possible dial with a style hole, but no longer other visible dial attributes if there ever were any. The stone has plainly been relocated.

Besides being relocated, the orientation of the dial suggests it is inverted or possibly – as GLP suggests – rotated by 90º. He detected 4 pock marks in or close to the upper-left quadrant (see BSS diagram above). I did not notice them and they are only faintly visible in my photos (taken with my camera held above my head), highlighted in image 1 below. I did detect 4 faint lines / partial lines. The overall configuration (image 2) would make better sense if the stone were rotated 90º anticlockwise.

Dial with pocks highlighted; dial with lines added

*St Andrew and St Peter . Toller Porcorum . Dorset – Scratch Dial(s) – annotated pock & line images*

As for possible Dial 2, GLP suggests it might have been a practice style hole or an earlier discontinued attempt at a dial. It’s hard to see why a such a very slightly different location was thought better, though. My amateur theory is that the stone was originally on the S. side, set at 90º anticlockwise, with the time-telling part of the true dial being (as often) in the lower left quadrant. The (then) upper hole might have been an earlier very basic time of day indicator – just a stick in a hole to cast a shadow without the need for refinements.

LINKS for information about the church, the village and its history:

BLB TOLLER PORCORUM

BRITAIN EXPRESS TOLLER PORCORUM

The charming stained glass millennial sundial is a striking addition to an already attractive building. It features on GSS in a different dial category, but it merits inclusion here. [Secretly, this is the dial I prefer]

St Andrew and St Peter . Toller Porcorum . Dorset – Stained Glass Millennial Sundial

GSS Category: Scratch Dial

All photos – Keith Salvesen

SOUTH CADBURY Som. – ST THOMAS à BECKET

Published on April 2, 2021April 7, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST THOMAS à BECKET [also ST THOMAS of CANTERBURY] – earliest religious mention DB 1086; building dates from C13 & C15, with C19 restoration

LISTING † GRADE II*

LOCATION † Six miles N. of Sherborne, six miles W. of Wincanton. One of nine ‘Camelot’ churches; situated close to the steep stone track that leads to the impressive iron-age hill fort Cadbury Castle, with supposed (actual?) links to King Alfred. Serious walking country. 51.0277 / -2.5269 / ST631254

South Cadbury, Som. St Thomas à Becket . Scratch Dial

DIAL † Visited by DEH on April 24th, 1914:

172. This dial is on the s.e. corner of the nave. It is 3 feet 11 inches above the ground, the noonline is 4 inches in length, the stylehole is 7/8 of an inch in depth by 1/2 an inch in diameter, and the aspect is s. by 30° e. Type 3

DEH further notes: ‘the noonline in this dial is considerably out of the perpendicular. This is caused by the stone not facing due s. by as much as 30°’ (see large image in Gallery for the angled pocked noon radial)

NOTES † In the Churchyard stands a small armillary sphere dated 1929, on a slender column. The memorial inscription relates to Robert Read, ‘Ironmaster and Ornithologist’, with a charming and original dedication that I will post in other pages (armillary spheres, mottos) in due course

*Armillary Sphere . St Thomas à Becket . South Cadbury . Som.*

GSS Category: Scratch Dial

All photos: Keith Salvesen April 2021

WINSHAM . Som . ST STEPHEN – 3 Scratch Dials

Published on March 20, 2021July 7, 2023 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST STEPHEN – C13 origin, mainly C15, C19 restoration, porch link to C20 vestry

LISTING † GRADE II*

LOCATION † In the centre of the village, a few miles SW. of Crewkerne / SE. of Chard. Contains 2 rare treasures (see notes). Close to Forde Abbey 50.8526 / 2.8898 / ST 37400637

St Stephen . Winsham . Som . Scratch dial 3

DIALS † 3 dials on or near the priest’s door, described in detail by DEH (see below for his notes on each). In evening light (hence the vaguely apocalyptic photo), a fine trio of dials to collect.

Later I discovered that (according to HE) there are 6 ‘mass dials’ in all. I need to return to find the other 3…

St Stephen . Winsham . Som . Position of 3 scratch dials

DIAL 1

129. (1) This dial is on the e. side of the window on the w. of the priest’s door. It is 6 feet 5 inches above the ground, the noonline is 6 inches in length, and the stylehole is 2 inches deep by 3/4 of an inch in diameter. The aspect is s.by10°e. Type 5b.

DIAL 2

130. (2) This dial is on the w. side of the priest’s door. It is 5 feet 2 1/2 inches above the ground, the noonline is 3 1/2 inches in length, the stylehole is 1 inch deep by 1/2 an inch in diameter, and the aspect as above. Type 3a or 5b.

St Stephen . Winsham . Som . Scratch dial 1

DIAL 3

131. (3) This dial is on the w. side of the window e. of the priest’s door. It is 6 feet 3 inches above the ground, the noon- line is 6 1/4 inches in length, and the stylehole, which is large, is filled with cement. The aspect as above. Type 4, combining 5c.

The dials Nos. 1 and 3 are carefully cut on very large stones that form the quoins of the windows on either side of the priest’s door. Dom Ethelbert Horne August 19th, 1915

NOTES † The church has one of very few surviving copies of Foxe’s Book of Martyrs on display; also, one of the only two surviving pre-Reformation tympana (rood screens) of the Crucifixion in the world. And 3 scratch dials left for me to find.

St Stephen . Winsham . Som . The Priest’s Door . 3 scratch dials

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

CHAVOT-COURCOURT. ÉPERNAY. FRANCE . CADRAN DE MASSE MÉDIÉVALE

Published on January 29, 2021January 29, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

Eglise de Chavot-Courcourt . Epernay . Marne . Scratch Dial

LOCATION This handsome church is set scenically in the middle of extensive vineyards on all sides, a few miles south-east of Épernay. It is a notable distance from the nearest house. The church dates from 1202. The romanesque tower, nave, transept and apse were built later, around 1560. 49°00′16″N 3°55′50″E

DIAL The dial – which from a distance looks rustic – is in a prominent position carved into the stone lintel above the side-door, a very clear indicator of the progress of the day for the locals working in the fields. It is in excellent condition, perhaps thanks to its high location and to the clean air. The radials are spaced with some precision. A narrow double circle is supplemented by a less clear or eroded wider circle. There are several dots in plausible places; conversely, few if any dots on the rest of the lintel. My amateur guess is that the relative sophistication of the dial suggests that it was cut later than the date of the doorway. Any views on this are welcome – there’s a comment box below.

*Eglise de Chavot-Courcourt . Epernay . Marne . Scratch Dial* – close-up

*Eglise de Chavot-Courcourt . Epernay . Marne . Scratch Dial* Gallery

GSS Category – Scratch Dial

HARDINGTON MANDEVILLE – ST MARY

Published on January 9, 2021January 20, 2021 by Rolling HarbourLeave a comment

DEDICATION † ST MARY – 1123 (on earlier site)

LISTING † II*

LOCATION † SW of Yeovil, near E & W Coker 50.9048 / -2.6949 / ST512119

An extended village close to the A30 yet approached by lanes (as they are actually named) rather than roads. A peaceful feel to it, especially at dusk when this poor photo was taken. The church had ‘much work’ carried out in C15 and C18. Tower probably of 1123, in three stages, font possibly from same date. BLB

DIAL † At the W. end and quite easily overlooked. DEH did not investigate or list it in 1915. A full circle, one clear radial and a square style hole. Possible trace of outer circle top left.

NOTES † Not mentioned in BLB, HE. Not in TWC extensive list of Somerset dials. I found only one reference to this dial that led me here; since then, one passing reference to a sundial in the porch – perhaps this dial relocated in C15?

NOTADIAL † A plausible dial location quite low on arch of the W. door; apparent style hole but no detectable marks

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