Just a note to say that No, the church clock at St Dunstan's, Cranbrook in Kent just uses normal Roman numerals (with IIII).
It main interest lies in its supporters, having above an elaborate winged and bearded figure with a scythe (Father Time, but is he usually winged?). This figure, and more foliage work at the sides and below, are fully three dimensional, and appear to be of lead. Cranbrook is of course worth a visit for its very good 'geographical' horizontal dial of 1855 by Marshall, with 17 locations around the world, and EOT table on both vertical faces of the gnomon. John. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Patrick Powers" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Sundial List" <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2005 10:30 AM Subject: Gothic numerals > Message text written by Claude Hartman > >He asked me if there were such use of Gothic > numerals in old sundials. Like older clocks, I > would guess so. < > > Not many at all in the UK, Claude. Two or three sundials recorded by the > BSS use Gothic script on their dialplates for mottoes and inscriptions but > only two (as far as I know) use gothic numerals, one is a Direct Vertical > South dial dated 1890 and the other a Horizontal dated 1929. So not very > old usage at all. > > In fact we don't see gothic numerals on clocks here much either - except of > course for what might well be our most famous clock - called (incorrectly) > 'Big Ben' in London - and its replicas. That's only dated 1854 so it > doesn't seem to be a matter of old use here in the UK anyway. I don't know > if the original clock that was built for the competition to find a > clockmaker up to the task and which is now in use as the church clock at > St. Dunstan's, at Cranbrook in Kent also uses gothic numerals but it might. > > Patrick > > - > -
