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Return to Co. Derry list |
Go to Prehistoric Alignments & Dials |
Go to Ancient Monastic Dials |
Go to Medieval Dials |
Go to Modern (1600+) Dials |
Go to Sundial Info.and Books |
 Derry Sundial |
 
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In the flower garden at
Springhill there is a hexagonal slate dial measuring 235mm across the
flats with a 145mm high by 3mm thick pierced bronze gnomon, which is loose and
slightly bent. There are three time rings on the plate, the first ring shows the hour lines, the next 30 min and the third, 15 min divisions. The dial shows 3 a.m. to 9 p.m. in arabic numerals. The date 1808 is inscribed and a name W J GILLMO*** Unfortunately the corner of the plate is damaged here so no further characters can be read after the O . The dial sits in a square recess in the 300mm square 150mm thick capital top, one corner of which is damaged, of a sandstone pillar, which has a 710mm by 165mm diam shaft on a 270mm high by 350mm square plinth. All sitting on a 1320mm diameter by 150mm high segmental stone base which is held together by an iron hoop. The capital top is skewed out of alignment with the plinth making the gnomon point some 20 degrees west of north. The square recess in the top has three of a possible four fixing holes visible, one in each corner, indicating that this column was originally intended for a rectangular dial. One could conjecture that the reason for the deliberate misalignment of the top was an effort to get the dial to show clock time. Springhill a 17th century 'plantation' house, now a National Trust property, is 2km from Moneymore on the B18 road to Coagh. Lat 54° 41' North Long 6° 39' West Irish Grid H 286800 382800 |