Saturday 9 May 2009

Church Row, Wandsworth SW18

The very fine terrace of Georgian houses in Church Row, Wandsworth, is adorned with this sundial inscribed with the motto Vigilate et Orate, or Watch and Pray (Matt 26:41).
The angle of the gnomon shows that the house faces west rather than south, so the dial only tells the time in the afternoon. When the sun is shining. And very inaccurately except at the equinoxes.
Belloc got it right with his sundial motto:

I am a Sundial, and I make a botch,
Of what is done much better by a watch.

1 comment:

CarolineLD said...

I don't think I've ever managed to successfully read the correct time from a sundial, but they do look lovely.