Accession No

1010

Brief Description

analemmatic dial, by John England, English, 1703

Origin

England; London; Charing Cross

Maker

England, John

Class

dials

Earliest Date

1703

Latest Date

1703

Inscription Date

1703

Material

metal (brass)

Dimensions

Base length 342mm; breadth 212mm

Special Collection

Trinity College collection

Provenance

On loan from Trinity College, University of Cambridge from 1951.

Inscription

‘I. England Charing [cross] Fecit’ (within azimuth dial)
‘1703’ (at base of azimuth dial)
‘COLLEG . TRINIT . CANTAB’ (in hour scale for horizontal dial)

Description Notes

Rectangular brass analemmatic dial. Standard horizontal dial with hour scale divided IIII - XII, I - VIII, numbered by I, subdivided to 30 minutes, to 15 minutes and to 5 minutes. Eight-point compass rose with all points named (North, NE, East, SE, South, SW, West, NW) in centre of dial. Pierced brass gnomon, folding flat when not in use, for latitude 52˚ N with hole from which a plumb bob would have been suspended (missing).
Elliptical dial has hour scale divided 3.45am - 8.15pm, numbered IIII - XII, I - VIII by I, subdivided to 30 minutes, to 15 minutes and to 5 minutes. Shaped brass vertical gnomon, folding flat when not in use, moves in slit around which are marked various scales. A date scale is marked on both sides of the slit, named ‘Months’, with months shown by initial (IFMAMIIASOND), divided solstice to solstice. East side of slit also carries a scale for sunrise, marked ‘[sun] Rises’, divided 3.45 - 8.15am, numbered IIII - VIII by I; also a scale for the place of the sun in the zodiac, marked ‘[sun] place’, divided Cancer to Capricorn and back, marked by zodiacal symbol and graduated to 5˚. West side of slit has solar declination scale marked ‘[sun] dec.’, divided [23˚ 30´] - [23˚ 30´], numbered by 10˚ and graduated to 30´. Also a scale for sunset, marked ‘[sun] Sets’ divided 3.45 - 8.15pm, numbered IIII - VIII by I.
There are two very short screws near the elliptical dial whose purpose is unclear.
The reverse is bare.

Condition good; incomplete (plumb bob missing)

References

Events