Hospital of St Cross., Rugby

Cross dials are not all that common and to find one in front of the A & E department of a hospital , misaligned by 180°, is surely unique. Mrs Gatty (The Book of Sundials) tells us quite a lot about it. It was designed by Henry Wilson of Gray’s Inn Square, London who was the architect of the hospital. The long motto which runs in two rings round the rim of the circular base was written by R.E. Egerton-Warburton and reads, ’The passing shadows which the sunbeams throw athwart this cross, Time’s hastening footsteps show: warned by their teaching work ere day be o’er, soon comes the night when man can work no more. ’ Another motto over the old out-patients’ entrance would also be suitable for use on a sundial since it read "Post tenebras spero lucem" (After darkness I hope for light). There is an EOT table for each month on front face (now barely readable).Arabic hour numerals 4 to 10am on left side, 9am to 3pm on top, and 3 to 9pm on the right. Angle 38 deg. The stem of the cross is 310mm long and the arms 202mm. The dial is mounted on a stone pedestal 1040mm high. The hospital was built in 1882 and presumably the dial is of the same date.