Scaphe Sundial - Horniman Gardens, London Road, Forest Hill, London, UK
N 51° 26.442 W 000° 03.696
30U E 704207 N 5702930
Within Horniman Gardens, at Forest Hill in south London, there is a trail of sundials. These are of a variety of types that demonstrate how the sun is used to indicate the time. There are 12 sundials in all but only 11 are easily accessible.
Waymark Code: WMM6KW
Location: London, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/31/2014
Views: 2
Close to the first sundial in the trail, the scaphe sundial, there is a map showing the location of the others. As a suggestion, and to easily locate the others, pop in to the museum reception and ask for a (free) map of the museum and grounds. Return to the map and transfer the locations - it makes finding them a lot easier!
The Horniman Museum website tells us about this sundial:
Scaphe (Bowl) Sundial
Design: Angela Hodgson
Delineator: Dick Andrews, 1994
The organic design of this dial juxtaposes the smooth surface of the spherical inner bowl with the disorganised, decaying appearance of the outer bowl and stem.
This symbolises the conflict between 'perfect' human ideals and the death and decay the passage of time brings. The plant like shape of the dial's stem was inspired by the Chinese Magnolia flower (Magnolia X Soulangiana).
In order to find the lowest central point of the bowl a marble was rolled around inside it and the gnomon placed on the point on which the marble rested.