St Nicholas Fisherton Scratch Dial – GAUDIUM SUB SOLE . SUNDIALS . MEDIEVAL TO MODERN

ST NICHOLAS . FISHERTON de la MERE. WILTS

GV II* † C12 origins; C13 records; C15; restorations 1833 J Davis, 1861 W Hardwick; and 1912. Now redundant. Cast-iron plaque records 1833 rebuilding. Surprisingly large for a small community hidden away on the banks of the Wylye river (nb close to a very busy A303 intersection; check a map or you may miss the little side-road and could be going back and forth for some time. Close to Wylye. 51.146 / 51°8’45″N / -2 / 2°0’0″W SU000385

DIAL

Part of the original dial stone was at some stage relocated and reused as a building block in a most unexpected place. You will find it N side, low down on the side of a buttress, facing W. In its working days, it must have been a fine marker of the passage of the day.

From the visible fragment one can tell that the dial was almost certainly cut over 2 (or more?) stones. The double circle – faintly seen RHS – gives an idea of the overall size.