Scaphe and horizontal pedestal dial for latitude 51° North. Dodecagonal, limestone, horizontal sundial with scaphe sundials around the sides. The main sundial has an hour scale numbered IIII-XII, I-VIII. The unused section of the minute scale carries a set of numbers. Within this is a circle of numbers which (with the first set of numbers) seem to relate to the towns inside them, but this is unclear. There is a radial ring of towns and countries ranging from Greenland to 'Moscua' (Moscow) and Amsterdam to Mexico.

Around the gnomon is a compass rose with 32 points shown, indicated by English initials. Around the sides are twelve vertical scaphe dials, some of which have been badly damaged. All that is visible on these is a centre equatorial line and some of the hour numbers; the remainder is illegible. There are no gnomons present on these dials, but the fixing holes remain, suggesting that some at least were bridging gnomons across the whole face of the dial. The main gnomon is a replacement; it is iron and extremely rusty and worn.

This dial originally stood in Deptford dockyard, and so it has been suggested that John Wells may have been the maker. Wells was storekeeper at the naval storehouses in Deptford. He was a prominent theoretical diallist in his day and the author of 'Sciographia' or, 'The Art of Shadowes' (1635).

For more information regarding this dial please refer to the OUP & NMM catalogue, 'Sundials at Greenwich'.