March 2012 page 27
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 21: Lewes, East Sussex

This entry features an undated postcard (c.1930) of a spherical dial at Lewes Castle. It references "The Book of Sun-Dials" (1900) which describes the broken and mended stone ball, noting its unknown history and questioning its current existence.
Dials: Hemispherical, Historical Dials

June 2012 page 30
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 22 – Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow

This entry discusses a postcard depicting a sundial at Powerscourt's Italian Garden in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow. The sundial, declining 50° E, bears the motto 'Horas Non Numero Nisi Serenas' (I only mark the sunny hours) and is listed in the Register as SRN 3933, showing hours only from 5am to 1pm.
Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials, Mottoes

September 2012 page 15
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 23—Churchill, Somerset

This entry describes a multi-dial sundial located at the Sidney Hill Cottage Homes in Churchill, Somerset, dating from 1907. It notes that the dial is situated within private grounds, making it inaccessible to the public, and speculates on the presence of east, north, and west dials based on an old postcard from 1929.
Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials

December 2012 page 17
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 24: St Peter’s, Bexhill, East Sussex

This entry discusses an undated postcard featuring a Dolland sundial in St Peter's churchyard, Bexhill, recorded as missing its gnomon. The image, by A. D. Hellier (1909-1938), shows the gnomon and an intriguing arc above it, raising questions about its purpose—whether support, another dial, or for raising the stone.
Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

March 2011 page 31
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 19—Corhampton, Hampshire

This entry describes a Saxon dial on Corhampton Church, Hampshire, one of four similar octaval dials in the area. The author wonders if they were products of a regional sundial-making business, noting their division of the day into eight periods based on tides.
Dials: Mass Dials, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

March 2011 page 46
Peter Ransom

Polyhedral Ramblings

The author discusses the calculation of angles for polyhedral dials, drawing on historical texts like William Leybourn’s 'Dialling'. It covers Platonic and Archimedean solids, methods for finding dihedral angles, and illustrates how these concepts can be applied to sundial construction.
Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2011 page 15
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 20—English Harbour, Antigua

This short article shares a postcard of a low-angle sundial at English Harbour, Antigua, previously discussed by John Davis. The author notes that the postcard, likely from the 1970s, offers another view of this dial, and references a related article about another low-latitude dial.
Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials

September 2011 page 36
Peter Ransom

Another West Indies Dial?

Peter Ransom discusses a 9-inch brass horizontal dial, signed 'Parnell, London,' which he acquired online. The dial, optimized for a latitude of approximately 16.05° N (suggesting a potential link to Guadeloupe), features hours from 6 am to 6 pm, half and quarter-hour marks, and a central compass rose. The gnomon was detached upon acquisition and later restored.
Dials: Horizontal, Restoration projects, Historical Dials

September 2011 page 44
Peter Ransom

A Fathers Day Present

Peter Ransom describes receiving a copy of Mrs. Alfred Gatty's 'The Book of Sun Dials' (1872 first edition) from his daughter. He notes the physical differences between this copy and his other 1872 edition, particularly in cover colour and tooling, and speculates on further variations.
Book Reviews

March 2010 page 13
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 15—Marsh Court, Stockbridge, Hampshire

Features a Pilkington & Gibbs heliochronometer at Marsh Court, Stockbridge, Hampshire, as seen on a postcard postmarked 1916. The article provides details about the heliochronometer and the history of Marsh Court, which served as a hospital during World War I.
Historical Dials, Dials: Heliochronometer

March 2010 page 32
Peter Ransom

Sundial Slides for Magic Lanterns

Discusses a collection of old magic lantern slides and glass negatives featuring sundials. The collection includes images of Dial Cottage at Seaton Ross, the multifaceted dial at Holyrood Palace from circa 1880, and a dial at Trinity College, Cambridge.
Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials

March 2010 page 46
Peter Ransom

Question 87 from The Ladies’ Diary

A follow-up to a previous article about dialling questions in 'The Ladies' Diary'. This piece presents the published solution to Question 87 from 1790, which asked for the area of the curve traced by a gnomon's tip on the winter solstice.
Mathematics of Dialling, Historical Dials

June 2010 page 13
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 16: Lake Annecy, France

This article features a postcard from 1908 depicting the impressive multiple-dialled structure, L'Unique, on the banks of Lake Annecy, France. Dated 1874 and named in 1876, the dial is credited to Frère Arsène. It features an equatorial dial, multiple gnomons on a 7-pointed star, and various dial plates indicating noon for several European cities and zodiac signs.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials

September 2010 page 31
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 17—Stainboro Castle, Barnsley, Yorkshire

This article features a postcard from March 1932 depicting a living sundial with Roman numerals and lines laid out using plants or bushes, located at Wentworth Castle, Stainborough, and seeks information about the initials 'BW' visible on it.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2010 page 25
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 18: Lochgoilhead, Argyll

This article describes an early colour postcard of the multi-faceted obelisk dial at Lochgoilhead, Argyll, dating from 1696(?). The sandstone structure features initials DHM and SCC, five square panels, and six panels on the finial. The postcard, postmarked 1909, shows it on the lawn in front of ‘The Cottage.’
Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials

March 2009 page 36
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 11: All Saints’ Church, Hillesden, Bucks

This entry describes a scaphe dial carved into a buttress at All Saints' Church, Hillesden, Buckinghamshire, recorded as SRN 5016. The dial is a quarter sphere with a motto and the date "1601 Georg De Fraisne" inscribed. It features full and half-hour divisions and has undergone some restoration since the postcard image.
Historical Dials, Dials: Scaphe

June 2009 page 40
Peter Ransom

Postcard potpourri 12—Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, USA

Features a 1909 postcard depicting a horizontal sundial at Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, which was dedicated in 1877. The author comments on the dial's pedestal, the surrounding cannonball piles, and a personal connection to the location through a Johnny Cash song.
Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials

September 2009 page 15
Peter Ransom

Postcard potpourri 13: Rémalard, France

Features an early 20th-century postcard showing a sundial in Rémalard, Normandy, France. The postcard was used to guide a modern restoration of the dial. The article briefly describes the dial, its motto, and the author's visit to the Perche region, which is rich in sundials.
Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials, Mottoes, The BSS and Members

December 2009 page 9
Peter Ransom

Postcard potpourri 14 - The Butter Cross, Witney, Oxfordshire

This piece analyses a vintage postcard of the Butter Cross in Witney. By comparing the time shown on the clock with the local solar time on the sundial, and accounting for British Summer Time and the equation of time, the author deduces the exact date the photograph was taken.
Equation of Time, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

December 2009 page 15
Peter Ransom

Dialling from “The Ladies’ Diary”

Introducing a series of articles on dialling problems from 'The Ladies’ Diary', a popular 18th-century almanac. The author presents the first question, from 1720, along with its original geometric construction and calculated solution, providing insight into the historical mathematics of dialling.
Mathematics of Dialling, Historical Dials

March 2008 page 42
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 7 - Polam Hall, Darlington

Features a c.1920 postcard depicting a large horizontal sundial at Polam Hall, an independent girls' school in Darlington. The author notes the presence of scholars in the image and expresses uncertainty about whether the dial is still in place.
Dials: Horizontal, Historical Dials

June 2008 page 61
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 8 - Petts Wood, Chislehurst

This entry features a vertical sundial in Petts Wood, Chislehurst, dedicated as a memorial to William Willett, the campaigner for daylight saving hours. The dial, dated 1927, is adjusted for summer time and carries the motto 'HORAS NON NUMERO NISI ÆSTIVAS'.
Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials, Mottoes

December 2008 page 162
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 10: Wimborne Minster, Dorset

This note discusses the sundial at Wimborne Minster, Dorset, based on a 1908 postcard, a 1928 cigarette card, and an 1830 print. It observes the dial's historical repositioning from a gable to ground level between 1830 and 1908, clarifies Mrs. Gatty's potentially inaccurate references to its date and location, and encourages a visit to the Minster.
Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials

March 2007 page 39
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 3—Wilton Bridge, Ross on Wye

Peter Ransom describes a sundial on Wilton Bridge near Ross on Wye, using postcards from the early 1900s to note a change in its orientation, where the north face now points south. He also deciphers a motto from an old postcard that is no longer readable on the dial itself.
Dials: Multi Faced, Historical Dials, Mottoes

June 2007 page 81
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 4—Haulfre Gardens, Llandudno

This entry presents a postcard from 1935 showing a floral sundial in Haulfre Gardens, Llandudno. It describes the dial's mottoes (I count the bright hours only and Tempus fugit) and notes a potential omission in the afternoon hour lines, inviting further information on the dial's current existence.
Historical Dials, Mottoes

September 2007 page 144
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 5: Thorpe Salvin Church

This entry describes an undated postcard featuring St Peter’s Church at Thorpe Salvin, Yorkshire. It highlights the church's south, east, and presumed west vertical dials, as well as a spherical dial on the ball at the top, noting that gnomons are no longer present. The church is also known for its Saxon doorway and 12th-century structures.

December 2007 page 178
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 6

This article describes a sundial featured on a postcard from People’s Park, Halifax. The vertical south dial, presented in 1873, includes mottoes in English, Greek, and Latin. The author notes its similarities to another dial by J. Smith in Albert Park, Middlesbrough, and dates the postcard image to the early 1900s based on its style.
Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials, Mottoes

February 2006 page 18
Peter Ransom

Origami Sundials

This article details the author's successful endeavour to create origami sundials without cutting or tearing, describing three unique designs. It provides step-by-step instructions for an equatorial dial, explaining the geometric principles behind folding hour lines and constructing a perpendicular gnomon.
Dials: Equatorial, Mathematics of Dialling, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects

February 2006 page 23
Peter Ransom

An Irish Dial

This article documents the restoration and analysis of an octagonal slate sundial plate from 1843, made by D. O’Connell for Revd John Pratt of Enniskean. It details the dial's engraved features, including an equation of time ring, gnomon restoration, and a geometric analysis confirming the remarkable accuracy of its construction for the specified latitude.
Dials: Horizontal, Sundial Design & Layout, Restoration projects, Historical Dials

June 2006 page 50
Peter Ransom

The Sundial in the Chapel of Holy Trinity at Rug

This article investigates an unusual 17th-century wall painting in Rug Chapel, North Wales, which features a dial. It details the analysis of the dial's geometry and hour lines using digital tools, comparing measured angles to calculated values for a 53° North latitude, and discusses the unexpected accuracy for a painting, suggesting sophisticated planning.
Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2006 page 112
Peter Ransom

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

September 2006 page 114
Peter Ransom

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

December 2006 page 171
Peter Ransom

Postcard Potpourri 2 - Marrington Hall

The featured dial can be found under Chirbury in the Shropshire section of the dial register. There are 11 component dials and it is sited at SJ272975 though it is not open to the public. On the west face is a scaphe dial above an anchor. Is it a horizontal dial on the top? It looks like an equatorial dial on the inclined face.
Dials: Multi Faced

December 2003 page 149
John Moir
Peter Ransom

Newbury 2003 – Sing a Song of Sundial

An account of the 2003 Newbury meeting, covering talks, exhibits, musical interlude, and member sundial projects, including declination finding, software modelling, and new dial types.
The BSS and Members

March 2002 page 24
Peter Ransom

Sunrise and Sunset: An Observation

Describes observations and reflections on plotting day length (sunset - sunrise) vs time of noon for various locations in the UK and various dates.

December 2002 page 157
John Moir
Peter Ransom

Newbury 2002 - A Place in the Sun

Report on the BSS Newbury meeting with exhibition and presentations, featuring inventive sundials including artistic and portable models.
The BSS and Members

March 2001 page 22
John Moir
Peter Ransom

Newbury 2000 - A Grand Day Out

This report details the Newbury 2000 event, a British Sundial Society gathering showcasing various sundial exhibits. Highlights include John Moir's rainbow and bifilar dials, a cycloidal dial, and Piers Nicholson's prototype horizontal dial with accurate alignment features. Tony Wood presented "3 Cheap and Dials" and updated on the mass dial register. Peter Ransom displayed sundial-themed items, and David Young showed eclipse phenomena. The event concluded with an award for the Make a Sundial competition.
The BSS and Members

March 2001 page 25
Peter Ransom

Book Review

This is a review of the "BSS SUNDIAL GLOSSARY" edited by John Davis.
Book Reviews

September 2001 page 96
Peter Ransom

Sundial Stamps

A collector shares his hobby of gathering sundial-related stamps, a more affordable alternative to actual dials. The article features examples from East Germany, Austria, and The Netherlands. A comprehensive list of sundial stamps from various countries and years is provided.

December 2001 page 156
John Moir
Peter Ransom

Newbury 2001

This report covers the well-attended BSS meeting at Newbury. Presentations included astronomy software, 'Spot-on-Sundial' development, and a 'Sundial Seekers Companion' kit. Updates were given on dial restoration. Exhibitions showcased diverse designs, including a rainbow dial, a hemispherical dial made from a bird feeder, and an electronic biscuit box sundial. Various other dials, a nocturnal, and calendars were also displayed.
Dials: Unusual, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout, The BSS and Members

June 1999 page 76
Peter Ransom

China Sundials

This article describes collecting crested china sundials, small porcelain souvenirs popular in Victorian and Edwardian times, which feature coats of arms. The author details his collection, including pieces from Carlton China and Willow Art, noting their dimensions, gnomon angles, and inaccuracies for specific locations. He also shares a motto found on one piece and resources for other collectors.
Historical Dials, Mottoes

October 1999 page 108
Peter Ransom

Two Sun Dials in Andover, Hampshire

This article describes two sundials in Andover, Hampshire, both linked to William Hawkins Heath (1787-1861), a brewer and banker. One, dated 1846, is on London Street with the motto 'Respice Finem' and an equation of time table bears just the initials W.H.H. The second, dated 1833, is in poor condition on the Savoy Cinema (formerly Heath House) and bears his full name, solving the initials riddle. The article details Heath's family business and civic roles.
Dials: Vertical, Equation of Time, Historical Dials, Mottoes

October 1999 page 133
John Moir
Peter Ransom

Cake & Balloons at Newbury: Report of the Newbury Meeting, 22 May 1999

This report details the Newbury Meeting, featuring talks on French dials with carved figures, gnomonic markings on church walls, and an experiment recreating Eratosthenes' Earth diameter measurement. Michael Maltin demonstrated Earth's orbital eccentricity and movement. Peter Meecham described his 'Tempus Fugit' balloon. Exhibitions included a drinks sundial, NASS double horizontal dial, crested china sundials, and Andrew James' Pringles cylinder shepherd's dial. The meeting also involved laying out a meridian line and a birthday cake celebration for the BSS.
The BSS and Members

June 1998 page 49
Peter Ransom

The Sundial Pages of Hutton's 'Recreations'

Reviews a section on sundials from Charles Hutton's 'Mathematical and Philosophical Dictionary'. It describes 41 separate problems related to dialling and mentions the author's recommended English works on gnomonics, including those by Emerson and Martin.
Mathematics of Dialling

October 1998 page 10
John Moir
Peter Ransom

The Newbury Meeting 20 June 1998

This report summarises the BSS Newbury meeting on the eve of the Summer Solstice. It covers talks on Hampshire sundials, raised horizontal dials, astro-compass conversions, and a sun compass. The event also featured an exhibition of various sundials and computer programs, highlighting members' ingenuity and the collaborative spirit of the society.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dialling Tools, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

October 1996 page 20
Peter Ransom

The Cross Dial at Bramdean, Hampshire

A technical description of a cross-shaped sundial in Bramdean, examining its geometry, alignment, and historical context, including comparisons with other known cross dials.
Historical Dials

October 1996 page 44
Peter Ransom

Sundials on Postcards

An exploration of sundials featured on vintage postcards, considering their role as both functional objects and decorative motifs in popular culture.
Historical Dials, Mottoes