The abbey and its gardens
A watercolour by Gaignières shows how Saint-Georges de Boscherville abbey looked back in 1702. We can make out what was very probably a spherical dial on a column, in the middle of the monumental staircase.
The ATAR has undertaken the work of reconstructing this spherical dial.
In olden times obviously its main task was not to tell the time; it was actually more of a decorative and educational item for monks concentrating on intellectual tasks, who also took a keen interest in science. A column dial has been traced on the column supporting it. It was frequently used to complement spherical dials in the 18th century.
Certain ancient texts describe this type of dial under the heading of "mathematical recreations", thus illustrating the interest in science and its specific applications during this century.
Finally, the device has been completed by using tiles inlaid into the ground to show the location of the sphere’s shadow depending upon the time of day and the season. The purpose is solely educational, it is a third way of giving visitors a few basic ideas about the visible movements of the sun. The combination of two dials and inlays on the ground is very rare. This supplement to the furnishings of the gardens of Saint-Georges abbey makes a visit to the site all the more interesting.
