Mystery at Meerbrook

Close by Tittesworth reservoir on the outskirts of Leek in the Staffordshire Moorlands, U.K., and towered over  by the majestic rocky escarpment known as the Roaches lies the small village of Meerbrook. In this village can be found tucked away surrounded by trees Meerbrook church which was originally built in 1538 and altered substanially over the ensuing years.

Meerbrook church. Photo by Gary Tacagni.

It was the year 1835 which is of particular relevance to this story, as it was in this year that the Rev James Turner sent a letter to the Christian Remembrancer relating to an unusual occurence which had taken place in 1822. James went on to relate the following tale which had taken place one bright cold February morning after a night of freezing weather, he was walking through the churchyard when he noticed something shining on top of an old sun dial which can be found among the gravestones. The brass sundial had previously been removed which had left a circular recess about one inch deep where it had previously sat, the incredible thing was that the water which sat in this recess had formed into ice due to the freezing weather and replicated itself in the form of the missing sun dial!

The sun dial in Meerbrook churchyard. Photo by Gary Tacagni.

The Gnomen, the part of the sun dial that casts a shadow had also been recreated from ice, and it was pointing due north exactly the way the brass one had once pointed, also the lines which represented the hours and which spread from the centre to the circumference of the sun dial could also be clearly seen.

James fetched his Father to witness this incredible sight, and they sought to preserve this unusual simulacra, but even though they placed a bucket over the formation to protect it from the gathering heat of the suns rays, but alas it had all but disappeared by noon. It is still possible to see the sun dial amongst the graves in the churchyard, however at some time in the past the brass sun dial has been replaced so the recess on the top of the plinth has now been filled.

A view of the now replaced sun dial. Photo by Gary Tacagni.