Welsh Journals

A CURIOUS SUNDIAL AT ST. AFAN'S CHURCH, LLANAFAN-FAWR By A. C. B. MATHEWS How to use the sun as time-keeper has intrigued ingenious minds throughout the ages, but since correct basic astronomy was established modifications have been concerned with elaboration of the standard design of sundial, which had been evolved by the earliest logical astrono- mers. It was therefore exciting to find a curious, if not unique, example locally, and its investigation is the subject of this paper. The unique feature, at least in the writer's experience, was that the style or gnomon (which casts the time-indicating shadow) was curved and not straight, which is usual. Following this up in the hope of discovering a reason involved :-(1) recording time indications, (2) taking dimension and orientation measure- ments, (3) local questioning, (4) some involvement in astronomy, and (5) eventually the manufacture of a working model when prediction of the effect of the curved style became difficult without it. There are a number of definite conclusions but they leave some matters of history unresolved. The church of St. Afan is simple and inviting. It stands in a commanding position at the top of a hill on the east side of the Newbridge-on-Wye to Beulah road. The original church was an ancient foundation and accord- ing to Theophilus Jones it was of considerable length, consisting of one aisle or nave not ceiled and being partially flagged and irregularly seated. "On the West end there is a heavy tower, containing five bells there are no curious or ancient inscriptions within the walls In the church- yard is the inscription of the saint". It was of some importance in the neighbourhood before being allowed to fall into decay, and by the turn of the last century the building had lost its roof. There was some reduc- tion in size when restoration was undertaken, a fact which comparison of the present church with a photograph, now in the vestry, of the old church in its dilapidated state confirms. The restoration was undertaken in 1886, the Church being described as "a building of stone containing chancel, nave, porch, and a tower with five bells". A stone tablet let into the south wall of the massive tower is now difficult to read because of colonies of lichen, but most of it can still just be deciphered This Steeple Was erected at ye Expence of ye Parishoners by Thos. Thomas Undertaker Mr. f Morgan Gwillim John Jones Churchwardens ? Hughes pinxit 1765 This tablet is mentioned because the vertical sundial is situated above it, at a height of 25 ft the sundial, however, is applied to the wall by iron dogs, and not let-in as is the tablet. This suggests that the sundial was erected after 1765.