BRIDOL is the British Sundial Society's Register of Fixed and Mass Dials, which gives detail and photographs of about 8000 fixed sundials and 3000 mass dials in the UK.
Some of these are in private gardens, but the majority are publicly available.
This fine painted glass dial is decorated at the top with two large cherubs in grey tints, with golden hair and green wings, on each side of a gold sun globe (with no rays). They sit on the scrolled top ends of the rectangular gold chapter ring, which holds upright black Roman hour numerals for 6am to 5pm, with IIII for 4pm and a splayed cross for noon. Half hours are marked by black and white segments in the outer edge of the chapter ring, and by short triple pointed crosses inside the ring.
In the centre of the dial plate is a rectangular plaque with an arched top, holding the motto ’TENERE / NON POTES / POTES, NON / PERDERE’ [DIES] (You cannot hold the day back, but you can avoid wasting it). Hour lines run from the chapter ring to the plaque and the gold ornament which surmounts it. The gnomon is missing but its two grey metal attachment points remain, positioning it at about 11:25am, indicating that the dial initially faced about 7° east of south.
The dial is believed to have come from a townhouse in Horsefair, Pontefract, built by the lawyer Tobiah Harvey (1659-1720), when the house – latterly known as ‘Gardiner’s House’ – was demolished in the 1950s.
The lower right-hand corner of the dial is missing but has been very skilfully replaced with matching glass and lettering, at the 9am point.
