Clifton Park, Rotherham

The cubic dial block stands on a plain white octagonal section column, becoming cylindrical, on two square steps, inscribed ’Saml Walker / Fecit’ and ’Restored 2009’. It is surmounted by a two-stage curved pyramid and topped with a substantial sphere. In the 1970’s it was moved from its previous home at Ferham House, Rotherham. In 2009 it was restored, with new brass gnomons, the furniture being infilled (initially) in blue. The south face has ’Dum spectas / fu- gio’ across the top and across the gnomon and below it is ’RW / 1739’. The significance of the initials RW is not yet known. It uses upright Arabic hour numerals 6 - 12 - 6, with short hour lines and dots for half hours. The new gnomon looks to be at too steep an angle. The east and west faces also use Arabic numerals, the east showing 5am to 11am, numbered at both ends of the hour lines, and the west showing 2pm to 8pm. The north face shows 4-8am and 4-8pm, with across the top ’Sic transit glo / ria mundi.’, but unfortunately the gnomon has been mounted upside down. Ref: Gatty, 1900, p 247, describes the dial as at The Holmes, Rotherham, with the date 1739. Ref: John Guest: Yorkshire. Historic Notices of Rotherham: Ecclesiastical, Collegiate, and Civil, c1860, p486, describes the dial as at Mr Habershon’s garden at The Holmes, and gives extensive information on the Walker family.