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Kildare Sundial




In the restored walled garden of Ballindoolin House, which was built in 1822 by Humphrey Bor, a Dutch timber merchant there is an octagonal slate dial in excellent condition. It measures 400mm across the flats and has a 150mm high pierced bronze gnomon. It overhangs the 335mm across the flats octagonal top of an 1200mm high ornately carved stone pillar which sits on a 600mm x 600mm stone base
The dial has the Bor family crest - a pair of wings - with a fleur-de-lys indicating north overlying the crest and a 16 point compass rose, eight of them marked "NORTH" "NW" WEST" etc.
"Made for Latitude 53° 25'", "Ha.Gordon Fecit Hoc" , "AD", "1826" are inscribed in a fine entwined ornamental script. The hours 4a.m. to 8p.m. are marked in Roman numerals with IIII for four. There are two fractional time rings inside the Chapter ring showing half and quarter hours. There are continous hour lines for 6am/pm and noon. It has a split noon to compensate for the gnomon thickness.

Ballindoolin is 5km North of Edenderry Co. Offaly on the R401 to Kinnegad.

Lat 53° 23' North   Long 7° 2' West

Irish Grid    N  264725   237300



If you know the location of a sundial in Ireland (NOT a mass produced DIY Store garden ornament) please email it to me (Click here to email M.J.Harley) - a member of British Sundial Society
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