Page 97

Editorial

This editorial discusses the valuable publicity gained for the British Sundial Society (BSS) from a story about the Wren dial at All Souls College, Oxford, appearing in the national press. It also comments on the varying quality of recent newspaper articles providing instructions for making paper sundials.

Page 98

Visit to the Museum of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers

A BSS group enjoyed a guided tour of the Museum of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers. The report covers the Company's 1631 founding, its extensive collection of horological instruments, and specific sundials including a large horizontal dial by Elias Allen. The museum’s curated displays offer a rich historical perspective on timekeeping.
Historical Dials

Doug Bateman

Page 99

The Stanwardine Hall Dial

This article details the rediscovery of a rare 1560 English horizontal garden sundial, previously mentioned in Mrs Gatty's book and thought lost. It describes the dial's physical characteristics, unique mottoes, heraldic engravings, and the historical context of its ownership by the Corbet family, discussing its provenance, repairs, and original location.
Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials, Mottoes

John Davis
Harriet James

Page 106

Time to Move

The article announces the relocation of the UK's high-accuracy 60kHz radio signal, essential for radio-controlled clocks and sundial setting, from Rugby to Anthorn, Cumbria, in March 2007. The signal, previously known as The time from Rugby, will subsequently be referred to as The Time from NPL (National Physical Laboratory).

Page 107

Time and Place

The author shares his experience in locating sundial-related place names across the UK using Ordnance Survey maps and street atlases. He recounts discoveries such as Sundial Farm, Dial House, and the famous Seven Dials in London, highlighting the unexpected insights cartography can offer into historical sundial presence and local nomenclature.
Historical Dials

John Wall

Page 109

Readers’ Letters

This section features diverse reader contributions. Topics include an anticlockwise convention for Roman numerals on old dials, warnings about Pearson-Page sundial replicas that can cause historical errors, the disappearance of a modern sundial at St. Gregory’s Minster, and a sceptical view on theories regarding continental cathedral meridian lines.
Historical Dials

J. P. Lester
Mike Cowham
Woody Sullivan
Roger Bowling

Page 110

The Recreation of a Negretti & Zambra Vertical Dial

This article describes the challenging recreation of a slate vertical declining dial by Negretti & Zambra after the original was severely damaged. The process involved meticulous replication of the design, adapting features for better readability (without gilding), and installing the new dial with modern, durable fixings while preserving the original gnomon.
Dials: Vertical, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout

Ben Jones

Page 112

My, My, My, the Dialler - a bit about Tom Jones

This article delves into a high-quality horizontal sundial by the renowned optical, mathematical, and philosophical instrument maker Thomas Jones (1775-1852). It details the dial's precise engraving, hour divisions, and accurate delineation, alongside biographical information about Jones's career, other notable instruments, and his significant contributions to science.
Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout, Historical Dials

Peter Ransom

Page 114

Postcard Potpourri 1 - Coldwell Clough, Kinder

This entry features a postcard depicting a horizontal sundial at Coldwell Clough, Kinder, in Derbyshire, a dial currently unrecorded in the BSS register. The author provides a description of its apparent design and speculates on its date based on postal information, also researching the historical family connections of the postcard's publisher.
Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials

Peter Ransom

Page 115

I Hate Drainpipes!

The author expresses his frustration with unsightly drainpipes and other structural elements that frequently disfigure sundials, particularly mass dials. He presents numerous photographic examples from the UK and Europe, illustrating how these obstructions cast shadows or obscure dials, advocating for greater consideration from builders to protect these historical timepieces.
Dials: Vertical, Dials: Mass Dials

Mike Cowham

Page 118

A Home-made Vertical Declining Dial

This article recounts the personal project of designing and constructing a vertical declining sundial for a golden wedding anniversary. It details the use of both graphical and computational methods for accurate delineation, the choice of materials, the incorporation of a brass heart-shaped nodus, and discusses the dial's performance and an inscribed motto.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Vertical, Mottoes, Sundial Design & Layout

Ken Head

Page 120

English Sundial Makers in Russia - Part 1, Before the Beginning

This first part traces the historical background for English sundial makers in Russia, focusing on Peter the Great’s Grand Tour and the pivotal role of Jacob Bruce in developing the Russian Navy and establishing the Navigation School. It highlights the early import of scientific instruments and the eventual arrival of John Bradlee, the notable English sundial maker.
Historical Dials

Aleksandr M Boldyrev

Page 128

A Review of the Heliochronometers by Pilkington and Gibbs - Part 2, Procedures for setting up the Helio-Chronometer

This article provides comprehensive, practical procedures for calibrating and reinstalling Pilkington & Gibbs Helio-Chronometers. It covers essential steps such as precise levelling, accurate co-latitude setting, meridian alignment, and adjustments for the equation of time and longitude, offering detailed guidance for both Northern and Southern Hemisphere models, aimed at owners and restorers.
Dials: Heliochronometer, Equation of Time, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout

Graham Aldred

Page 132

Church Alignment: Towards Patronal Saint Sunrise?

This research article investigates the theory that churches are aligned towards the sunrise on their patronal saint's feast day, based on a comprehensive survey of 1670 churches. The study considers factors like horizon elevation and calendar drift, concluding that the majority of churches consistently align towards true east, rather than their specific saint's day sunrise.
How Sundials Work, Historical Dials

Ian Hinton

Page 137

Penshurst Dial Stolen, a Twin Found

This report details the theft of a distinctive vertical sundial from Penshurst Place in Kent. Coincidentally, an almost identical twin dial was discovered in a private country garden, raising hopes for its potential replication to replace the stolen artifact. The article describes the unique design and features of these large, elegant vertical dials.
Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials, Restoration projects

Doug Bateman

Page 138

Sundial Delineation Using Vector Methods - Part 5, Polar Dials

The fifth instalment in a series, this article applies vector methods to the specific challenge of delineating polar sundials. It presents the vector components for the shadow plane and declination lines, mathematically deriving the straight hour lines and hyperbolic declination lines.
Dials: Polar, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

Tony Wood

Page 138

Dialling Manuscript Found

The discovery of a previously unknown early Italian manuscript (1477-1505) at Lund University, Sweden, is announced. Predating works by Oronce Finé and Nicholaus Kratzer, this anonymous manuscript contains significant sections on astronomy, mathematics, and sundials, featuring various dial types, including a horizontal scaphe sundial.
Book Reviews, Historical Dials, Dials: Scaphe

Page 140

Update on the Horniman Ceiling Dial

This article provides an update on the Horniman ceiling dial, a reflected sundial installed in a wooden building. It discusses ongoing monitoring and a recent recalibration due to timber movement. An innovative technique using a balloon to cast a shadow and make the light spot visible during low winter sun conditions is also highlighted.
Dials: Reflected, How Sundials Work

John Moir

Page 142

Simple Delineation of Vertical Declining Dials

This article introduces a user-friendly method for delineating vertical declining sundials using bespoke slide rule-like calculators. These tools determine equivalent latitude and longitude, simplifying the process by eliminating complex trigonometry. The article explains how to use these calculators with standard dialling scales to accurately plot hour and sub-style lines.
Dialling Tools, Dials: Vertical, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

Tony Belk