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Crimean War Sundial from Kinburn Fort
About the Item
This horizontal sundial & stone pillar, an extraordinary artifact of the Crimean War, originated from the 10-Gun Battery at Kinburn Fortress. As the inscription reveals, the sundial was taken following capture of Kinburn Fort, the first Allied occupation of Russian territory in the War of 1854–55, and was likely removed in the days immediately following the battle.
This sundial represents one of the last privately held artefacts & parts from the Kinburn Fortress, which remained under Allied control for the following year before being abandoned. The fortress, destroyed after the battle, has become a site of both historical and contemporary significance, now lying within a contested area in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Kinburn Fortress:
The Kinburn Fortress was located on the Kinburn Spit, a long low-lying sandy spit, at the extreme western end of the Kinburn Peninsula, at the entrance of Dnieper River. It comprised three separate fortifications:
The primary fort, a stone-built, square structure with bastions, mounted 50 guns. Some of these were installed in protective casemates, while others were mounted en barbette, firing over the parapets.
Two earthwork batteries, located west of the fort further down the spit, which mounted from reports between (10-12) and (11-20) guns.
The fortress was destroyed and burned down following the battle. Today, only ruins and a memorial statue remains at the site, which is now a contested area in the current Russia-Ukraine war.
Battle of Kinburn (1855)
The Battle of Kinburn was one of the final campaigns of the Crimean War in the black sea. Taking place on the 17th of October 1855, it was a combined land-naval operation that marked the first successful use of ironclad warships in combat. French and British forces, supported by an Anglo-French fleet, decisively bombarded and overwhelmed the fortress in just three hours.
This engagement marked the first capture of Russian territory by the Allies during the war. With the fortress under Allied occupation for the following year, the sundial—marked "Taken from a 10-Gun Battery"—was likely removed by British forces in the immediate aftermath of the battle.
Provenance & Inscriptions:
This sundial has been part of a private collection for over 50 years, the current owner acquired it at a house auction in the West Suffolk village of Brandon in the 1970s, in an overgrown garden. Mounted on a stone column, the sundial features two distinct inscriptions:
Side 1: Historical Context
"Taken from a 10-Gun Battery on Kilbouroun Spit at the Entrance of the Dnieper, captured by the English and the French in October 1855: Being the First Fort and Portion of Territory Taken by the Allied Forces in the War of 1854-55."
This inscription commemorates the Allied forces’ first occupation of Russian-held territory during the war and states that this war relic was taken specifically from the 10 Gun Earthwork Battery.
Side 2: Sundial Motto
"I mark not the hours unless they are bright,
I mark not the hours of darkness and night,
My promise is solely to follow the sun,
And point out the course his chariot doth run."
Side 3 – Latin Inscription
The sundial also features the Latin inscription: "Non Numero Horas Nisi Serenas"
This translates to “I do not count the hours unless they are clear.”
The Sundial
A horizontal sundial, with roman numerals from 6 am to 6 pm, made from slate. With two Cyrillic inscriptions, И – ‘I’ and Б - ‘be’, are believed to be the inscriptions of a maker.
Sundials in Fortresses
Before the advent of accurate mechanical clocks in the 19th century, sundials were a reliable method of timekeeping, particularly in outdoor settings such as fortresses. They were essential for maintaining strict schedules for guard rotations, drills, and artillery operations. Their durability made them ideal for withstanding harsh outdoor conditions without mechanical upkeep. In coastal fortifications like Kinburn, sundials occasionally played a secondary role in navigation and astronomical observations, aiding in understanding tides and daylight hours.
Included is documents and plans for the Kinburn fortress and battery designs, all from the national archives.
- Dimensions:Height: 53.27 in (135.3 cm)Width: 23.43 in (59.5 cm)Depth: 23.43 in (59.5 cm)
- Materials and Techniques:
- Place of Origin:Ukraine
- Period:
- Date of Manufacture:Unknown
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:King's Lynn, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU10441244918752
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