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This is a rectangular horizontal slate dial 240 mm wide X 300 deep X 5mm thick in a private collection. The gnomon is a replacement by the owner for the missing original. No name or date is visible but from the style and decoration it is unmistakably a McNally. A Willam Ardissil hacked off what was probably McNallys name/date and crudely inserted his own. It has two central dials and is inscribed "Portaferry Lat 54°20' N 6°16' W and Archangel Long 49°10' E The chapter ring shows the time from 5a.m. to 7p.m. in Roman Numerals with IV for four. It has a split noon to compensate for the gnomon thickness and fractional time rings inside the chapter ring of 60 mins, 30 mins, 15 mins and 5 mins. It has a stylicised North Point marker and mottoes in Latin and English "Sol gloria spheræ" (translation - Sun, glory of the earth) "Brevis hominum vita" (translation - Human life is short) "Lux venit ab alto" (translation - Light cometh from on high) "Dum spectas fugio" (translation - While you watch, I fly away) "A virtuous life, a happy eternity" |