February 1991 page 4
Andrew R Somerville

The Hampton Court Dial of John Marr, 1631 [part 2].

Details the various circles and scales on the dial's surface, including those for finding the dates of festivals and saints' days, the day of the week, the age of the moon, and the time of high water at London Bridge. The article also explains how to use the shadow of the stile to determine the hour and minute, sunrise/sunset times, and the sun's place and right ascension.
Historical Dials

July 1991 page 3
Andrew R Somerville

The Hampton Court Dial of John Marr, 1631 (Part 3)

This article, written in 1631, details using John Marr’s Hampton Court Dial. It explains determining celestial metrics like ascensionall difference, azimuth, amplitude, sun's altitude and declination, and Judaical hours. It also covers comparing unequal to equal hours, finding the day of the month, and predicting London Bridge tides via the dial's shadows, showcasing its comprehensive historical applications.
Historical Dials, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1991 page 3
Andrew R Somerville

The Hampton Court Dial of John Marr, 1631 [part 4]

This text reproduced from 1631 continues John Marr's description of the Hampton Court sundial. It details how to determine various astronomical propositions, such as sunrise, sunset, day/night length, and the Sun's position, using the dial's concave surface and its markings. It also explains how to find the hour of the night by observing stars on the meridian.
Historical Dials, How Sundials Work

February 1990 page 24
Andrew R Somerville

Chairman's News.

This report provides updates on the British Sundial Society's activities.
The BSS and Members

June 1990 page 3
Andrew R Somerville

Chairman's News - George Higgs - 90 Years Young

Celebrates George Higgs' 90th birthday, highlighting his career as an electrical engineer and his significant contributions to dialling. It details his work restoring sundials for the National Trust for Scotland, his design of an analemmatic dial, and his collaboration with David Gullan on glass dials.
The BSS and Members

June 1990 page 8
Andrew R Somerville

Early Sundials in Royal Gardens

This article explores historical sundial references within English Royal Gardens from the 16th to 18th centuries, drawing from detailed archives. It documents various sundials at Whitehall, Hampton Court, Nonsuch, St. James's, Richmond, and Oatlands, highlighting their construction, decoration, and key designers like John Marr.
Historical Dials

October 1990 page 3
Andrew R Somerville

The Hampton Court Dial of John Marr, 1631

This is the first instalment reproducing John Marr's 1631 description (held in the British Library) of his elaborate dial at Hampton Court, considered one of the most intricate ever made. It details the dial's physical form, its various lines and circles including tropics, equinoctial, parallels, altitude circles, azimuths, and seasonal (Judaicall) and hour lines, and the ecliptic with Zodiac signs.
Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout

July 1989 page 9
Andrew R Somerville

The Sundial at Madeley Court, Shropshire

An article by Andrew R. Somerville details a unique 16th-century stone cube sundial with multiple hollows for different gnomons, along with its possible uses and historical context. The dial may be associated with the work of Nicolaus Kratzer, who introduced multiple sundials to England in the 16th century. It may also be connected to the Jacobean garden at Madeley Court, and its geometric and symbolic elements.
Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials

November 1989 page 15
Andrew R Somerville

A Geometrical Puzzle.

Describes a 1576 manuscript related to Lord Burghley detailing a complex sundial on a geometric body. This body is composed of triangular and hexagonal planes, with three of each type containing dials. The hexagonal dials include a "Meridionall Inclinatorye" face and two "declinatory Hexagonalls," which are noted as particularly difficult to construct. The piece lists the various indications marked on these dials, such as vulgar and unequal "Planet hours," Zodiac signs, Azimuths, and Almicanteras, as well as their general uses like determining sunrise/sunset, sun altitude, and celestial positions.
Dials: Multi Faced