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Return to Co. Cork 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 |
 Castlemartyr Sundial |
 Photo courtesy of Brian T. McElherron http://irishantiquities.bravehost.com/gazetteer.html |
The two-storey three-bay Castlemartyr Market House was built by the Hon. Henry Boyle, a prominent Irish politician, c. 1754. He was elevated to the peerage in 1756 as Baron Castlemartyr, Viscount Boyle, Earl of Shannon. One of his ancestors was Charles Boyle, 4th Earl of Orrery, an English nobleman, statesman and patron of the sciences. In 1712, under his patronage, John Rowley created the first mechanical model of the solar system that could demonstrate the proportional motion of the planets around the Sun. The device was named the orrery in the Earl's honour. |
 Photo courtesy of Fabian Murphy, Castlemartyr |
There is a 1.2 metres high by 1 metre wide (approx.) stone, south facing, vertical sundial in a yellow brick surround, projecting above the roof eaves at the central window. Eroded by the passage of time it still bears the date - 1754 - and traces of the quarter, half and hour lines with Roman numerals marking the hours. |