GRADE II ✣ C12, C13, C16. Originally cruciform with crossing tower. Chancel arch blocked and west part of church partly dismantled 1868, gradual deterioration. Chancel used as a mortuary. Declared redundant 1970; now in the care of CCT. A surprising and rather poignant place to visit, all well worth examining. Note the bier. 3m SE of Warminster. 51.1728 / -2.1323 / ST908415
DIALS
St Leonard is a multi-dial church with 9 dials recorded by BSS (1994), of which some details are scant. Four are described only as ‘gnomon hole only’ / ‘cannot be classified’. Featured below are 8 designs that I have concluded are dials, or might be (if only doubtful) in a couple of cases.
DIAL 1
Dials 1 and 2 are together LHS of the Priest’s door
DIAL 2
DIAL 3
Hint of a circle, esp. ULQ
DIAL 4
A hint of a circle, esp ULQ
DIAL 5
Dial stone presumed to have been re-sited and rotated 90º
DIAL 6
A remarkable dial within a square, with 2 large holes at bottom that appear to represent noon. It’s almost certainly unique. There’s mention of a Norman dial: perhaps this is it. There’s an apotropaic feel to it.
DIAL 7
Nearly excluded from consideration. However the small holes are accurately on a circumference, and there’s the possibility of a small gnomon hole under the lichen. Borerline.
Probably not a dial but looks a bit more promising when rotated 90º. The pocks are (roughly) evenly spaced and there is a slight curve. No evident gnomon hole. Maybe simply a drilled design bored by a bored sacristan.
In a format variation, I will side-step the usual scene-setting para. In comparison with its host building, the somewhat elusive scratch-dial is an infinitesimal part. It is quite rare, I think, to find a scratch dial on a cathedral, abbey, or other major church building. Romsey has one that would be easily overlooked without clues. Next time I’m in Romsey I’ll take a proper camera on a sunny day.
DIAL
The dial is at the E end of the Abbey, inverted on the N face of the S buttress about 4 meters high.
The BSS record describes it as Accurately cut or made. Repositioned, eroded, damaged. Rudimentary (Norman) dial. Probably inverted (faint line and pock URQ. Too high for measurement.
GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial; Norman Mass Dial
GRADE II ✣ C12, C15; T.H.Wyatt restoration 1845. A fine church by the R. Avon, with plenty of interest. Focus here is on the splendid C12 inner doorway of the porch with nook shafts and scalloped capitals, and an outer order of arch lozenges, inner of horizontal chevronsBHO. See below for Church History. 5m N of Salisbury. 51.1244 / -1.8301 / SU119361
SCRATCH DIALS
DIAL 1
Dial 1 is by the capital LHS of the door, and quite easy to overlook. Weathered and damaged, with 3 lines visible within what remains of a double circle. Filled gnomon hole.
DIAL 2
Dial 2 is RHS on the arch of the doorway, and much easier to read. A morning dial with 4 clear lines from 9 (terce) to noon, and another fainter line earlier. The random line LRQ was evidently added some time later. Filled gnomon hole and remnants of a narrow double circle, as with dial 1. Perhaps this dial was cut as a replacement for dial 1 which certainly seems earlier; they could hardly be contemporary.
DIALS 1 AND 2
CHURCH HISTORY
VERTICAL DIAL (CHANCEL BUTTRESS)
The dial is on a south buttress. Motto across the top in angular lettering reads: ‘Tempus Fugit’. Upright Arabic numerals – 10, 11, 12, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 still just visible. Divided to 5 mins? Three-dot half hours (remnants of fleur-de-lys? Square frame with wide border, inset into stone of second buttress RHS of south porch. Needs restoring soon if it is to be saved. Would have been quite a good dial originally BSS
The most recent report was in 2005. Given the details mentioned above, the prediction of further deterioration has sadly come to pass.
GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Scratch Dial within porch; Vertical Dial
GRADE I ✣ Saxon origins (c995?) perhaps on pagan site; Norman with continuing development. Vicars recorded from 1269. Careful restorations. Among the oldest and most architecturally significant parish churches of DevonSJ. A lovely location, concealed from potential marauders from the sea. Of great interest both inside and out; a church to explore thoroughly. The Church Guide (40pp) is excellent. Midway between Sidmouth and Seaton. 50.6902 / -3.1403 / SY195884
DIALS
There are three completely different dials. Dial 1 is a linear dial thought to be unique in Britain, with a buttress acting as gnomon. Dial 2, cut on the lintel of a blocked doorway, may be Saxon. Dial 3 is relatively conventional and located high on E corner quoin of the chancel.
DIAL 1
This remarkable dial is not circular but linear, and is thought to be unique. Roman numerals are cut in an approximate row along the chancel wall, so that the chancel buttress acts a gnomon casting a shadow that moves across the longitudinal numbers. XI is obscured behind the drainpipe.
VI, VII and VIII are thought to be original numerals; IX, X and XI are larger and later. The Guide to the church describes this dial as a ‘sun-clock’, which is surely a more appropriate and accurate name for it than ‘scratch dial’, and reflects its uniqueness.
There is another notable ‘buttress gnomon’ dial of a different kind at St Mary the Virgin, Iffley. It has 4 vertical incisions in a row, a compact marker of the passage of the day. Presumably it was designed to focus seasonally on the significant part of the day for Mass.
DIAL 2
Incised in the grey stone lintel of a blocked doorway believed to be Saxon. Unusual in that it has 6 lines (2 on the horizontal) cut almost with vertical symmetry, with no visible noon line. The 2 deeper cuts RHS suggest the time of day for the main Mass (None). The gnomon hole is big, perhaps enlarged at a later date. The BSS record includes the note Late Saxon / Norman? Originally on earlier church?
DIAL 3
A more familiar dial design high on a quoin stone at E end of chancel. There are 7 lines within a double circle. BSS notes that it has been re-sited, the top of the dial being on an adjacent stone. The gnomon is filled in a rectangle. Again, the two deeper cut afternoon lines suggest None as the main Mass time.
Drawings displayed inside the church
GRAFFITI
If you climb the stairs, as you surely will during your visit, you will find plenty of graffiti, much of it overpainted with long-weathered whitewash.
GSS Category: Scratch Dial; Mass Dial; Sun-clock; Unique Linear Sundial; Buttress as Gnomon; Medieval Graffiti
All photos Keith Salvesen; Drawings from Church & BSS
GRADE I ✣ Origins pre-date 1159 building; some C12 features; S chapel c1280. Mainly late C13 to C15; 1860 restoration by Wyatt. Fine Giffard Chapel. Described 1850 (Hoare) as one of the most interesting parish churches in the Vale of Wily [Wylye], and its architecture has been very little altered since the death of Bishop Giffard in 1301. W window described by PEV as a tour-de-force. Painted pews. Turkeys feature in the church decoration – for why, see below. 4m NW of Wylye. 51.1553 / -2.0722 / ST950395
DIAL 1
The dial is prominent on the lower right corner of the transept window. It is cut into the attractive red stone. At some time it was inverted, along with the stone above it. It’s an assertive dial, unlikely to be missed. There are 9 lines, with the noon having a pock close to the gnomon hole, then extending onto the stone below. A reverted image is shown below.
REVERTED DIAL
DIAL 2
BSS records 2 other scratch dials. Examining the separate but very similar entries for these 2 dials, it seems near-certain that they are in fact one and the same. The notes for one includes worn, error, omission, query. Report date uncertain. They differ as to whether there is a large gnomon hole or none at all; and whether there may be a circle. As it happens, I could only find one plausible candidate in the given location, so I will leave it at that.
The dial is difficult to interpret, not least because it is so eroded. The larger image below hints at a noon line, with perhaps a trace of a line at XI and on the pm horizontal. There is a rough curve LRQ but no certainty that it was ever part of a circle. I doubt that the 3 shallow circular dents relate to the dial. A simple dial, then, but of use (in that location) to those passing after daybreak.
St Mary . Boyton . Wilts – Hypocrite Stone in the aisle
SIDE NOTE William Strickland, builder of Boyon Hall, was said to have brought the first wild turkey to Britain from America in the late 16th century. As a result, there are carved and painted turkeys all over the church; most notable is the lectern, shaped like a turkey instead of the traditional eagle. (David Ross – Britain Express BE)
GRADE I † C13 origins; C14, C15 development; extensive restoration 1873 (Carpenter). C12 font. 3 scratch dials; and a fine Millennium dial LINK. 10m NW of Salisbury. 51.1363 / -1.9493 / SU036374
DIALS
All Saints is unusual in having 3 dials of very similar design, without the often-found stylistic developments on churches that have more than one dial.
DIAL 1
The most complete dial in terms of information for the passer-by. A complete circle with several lines clear and faint, some with a terminal pock. The noon line extends beyond the circumference, with the lines RHS indicating an afternoon dial.
DIAL 2
The dial’s circle is clear and the gnomon hole is large (with signs of recent enlargement). Apart from that only the faintest traces of lines remain, presumably lightly cut initially and eroded over the centuries.
DIAL3
A partially obliterated circle; a gnomon hole; hints of 3 pocks LRQ. Perhaps we can deduce that this was the first of the dials. Of course, even a stick in the centre hole would give a fair idea of the time of day to the passing parishioner.
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
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: Scratch Dials & Sundials Medieval to Modern 