Dial in Cornwall

In the churchyard near the porch and mounted on a granite pillar is this horizontal dial which, unusually, has something approaching a cheerful motto. ’Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying’ it says, and we may wonder if this quotation from Herrick is quite the thing for a church precinct. Burge wonders whether it was brought here from somebody’s garden. It has lost its gnomon and has been taken into the church to prevent further damage. A fairly standard dial plate with an 8-point compass rose is embellished by flowers round the fixing holes in the corners.