People's Park Sundial - Halifax, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 43.231 W 001° 52.348
30U E 574402 N 5953017
This vertical standing sundial lies at the junction of two footpaths that descend from the northern edge of the public park known as The People's Park.
Waymark Code: WMTVZ9
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 01/12/2017
Views: 1
People's Park is one of the finest surviving examples of a "Joseph Paxton" Park. Created in 1857, the Park was donated to the people of Halifax by Sir Francis Crossley, to be maintained by the then Halifax Corporation for all time. Situated at the western edge of the town, the 12.5 acre site is in the heart of a conservation area, providing a green and pleasant haven for the people of Calderdale.
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The sundial stands on a stone plinth with the following gold plated inscription.
PRESENTED TO THE
HALIFAX PEOPLE'S PARK
IN THE YEAR 1873.
BY ALDERMAN MATTHEW SMITH.
MAYOR 1879
The dial itself is ornately inscribed and dated 1858.
The bottom of the dial has the hours marked in large roman numerals.
There are a number of time related phrases etched into the dial in English, Latin and Greek.
The top of the round dial has the Latin phrase "TEMPUS EDAX RERUM" which can be translated as "TIME DEVOURER OF ALL THINGS".
Inscribed around the edge of the square dial face is the phrase
"TIME BY MOMENTS - STEALS AWAY - FIRST THE HOUR - THEN THE DAY". This is the first two lines of the hymn Time by Moments Steals Away written by John Newton in 1779.
Underneath the Latin words is the phrase "Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for on thy eyelids is the shadow of death."