The Sundial at Canons Ashby in Northants

The dial at Canons Ashby is to be found at the bottom of the garden steps of this interesting National Trust property once owned by Sir Henry Dryden and which to this day maintains his library as a reference collection.  The dial was delineated by Richard Glynne who served his apprenticeship under Henry Wynne, was admitted to the Guild of Clockmakers in 1705 and who later operated his business from London premises in both Cheapside and Fleet Street, in the period 1712-1729. He retired in 1730.

The octagonal bronze dial uses Roman numerals (incl IIII), which are read from the outside of the dial, and the time scale is divided into hours with the hour lines taken to the compass.  It marks quarters and five minute marks.  It has an eight-point compass at its centre marked with the four cardinal directions with their letters read from inside with a floral centre and leaf-patterned inner ring.  The dial uses fleurs-de-lys to mark the half hours, is signed by the maker (signature read from inside the dial) and has a lovely pierced, scroll gnomon. Of course it has a noon gap.  Interestingly it has no motto.

When measured for accuracy in March 2016* and with its displayed solar time duly corrected for both longitude and EoT it proved to be a very acceptable 3m 30s fast!  An impressive result for any horizontal dial let alone one dating from the 18thC and mounted on a pedestal that could so easily have been nudged over the years!

*True GMT of image at 16/03/16: 13:44:29

Solar time displayed: 13:37:30
Add Long correction for -1.1603(W): 00:04:38
Add EoT correction for date: 00:05:49
Corrected time from dial: 13:47:57

Dial is 00:03:28 fast

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