March 2012 page 7
John Davis

New Dials

This article describes a new 70 cm diameter stainless steel spherical dial by David Harber, unveiled at Balliol College, Oxford. It celebrates the thirtieth anniversary of women's admission to Balliol and includes features like calendar bands, tropic lines, and moon-dial scales.
Dials: Unusual, Construction Projects, Mottoes

March 2012 page 13
Frank Coe

A.P. Herbert put to the test

The author tests A.P. Herbert's idea of using a sundial "in reverse" for navigation during a flight to Australia in 1975. He describes making his own "sun clock" and recounts an encounter with a pilot familiar with Francis Chichester's navigation methods, highlighting the practical challenges of such a device.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, DIY Sundial Projects, Historical Dials

March 2012 page 17
John Davis

An Unrecorded Stained Glass Dial

This article details a previously unrecorded 17th-century stained glass sundial. It's unusual for being a "great decliner" made for a latitude in the Scottish lowlands and for its unique motto, which suggests personal authorship rather than a known source.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Mottoes

June 2012 page 17
John Foad

The Scoreboard Sundial

This article describes a unique direct south vertical slate sundial found in Wimborne Minster, made by clockmaker W.B. Kerridge. Its distinguishing feature is a system for displaying the Equation of Time and longitude correction using interchangeable 'FAST'/'SLOW' iron plates and possibly minute/second plates, resembling a cricket scoreboard, for public use.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Equation of Time, Historical Dials

June 2012 page 34
Christopher Daniel

The Forsyth Sundial – Faversham

This article describes a custom-designed 'garden' sundial commissioned as a 40th birthday gift for Campbell Forsyth of Faversham. It is an inclining horizontal dial for latitude 40°N, tilted 11.5° southwards, with a unique gilded 'box' feature that indicates the exact date and time (8 December, 12 noon) on his birthday. The dial is a work of scientific art by Ben Jones, with a pedestal by Clive Sherwood.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 2012 page 44
Jérôme Bonnin

The Dial from the ‘Palais Farnèse’: Roman or Modern?

This article investigates a spherical sundial in the 'Palais Farnèse', Rome, questioning its Roman origin due to its perfect state of conservation and lack of gnomon hole. It hypothesises the dial is an 18th or 19th-century copy of a Roman original, potentially with a symbolic rather than functional purpose related to the palace's 'Trophées Farnèse' compositions about Time.
Dials: Scaphe, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Restoration projects

June 2012 page 46
Peter I. Drinkwater
Frank Coe
Sue Manston
David Harber

Readers’ Letters

This section contains three letters from readers. Peter Drinkwater discusses a Canterbury pendant, questioning Arnaldi’s gnomon positions. Frank Coe references a Chichester Sun Compass. Sue Manston points out a potential error in the 'waxing' and 'waning' engravings on the Balliol Moondial's gnomon, to which David Harber responds confirming the mistake.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual

June 2012 page 52
Michael J. Harley

New Dials

This article describes a stainless steel sundial at the Nano Nagle Centre in Ballygriffin, Ireland, which is the final 'station' of a 'cosmic walk'. Designed by Jonathan Mason, it features a 3.2-meter high gnomon with a central slit, a 200mm noon gap, and a prism for season indication. It also includes the world represented by a ringed globe and forty clasped hands symbolising intergenerational links.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2012 page 2
Daniel Brown

A Standing Stone and its Possible Astronomical Alignment—Using seasonal shadow and light displays in the Neolithic

This article examines a 2-metre tall triangular monolith at Gardom’s Edge, Peak District, suggesting it was intentionally erected and astronomically aligned in the late Neolithic/early Bronze Age. It highlights how the stone's north-facing side would be illuminated during the summer, serving as a seasonal marker for ancient communities.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, How Sundials Work, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2012 page 15
Mike Cowham

Gnomon Supporter

This brief piece draws attention to an unusual application of a sundial's gnomon in Airanne, Somme, France, where it appears to be providing minimal support to a scaffold tower. The author expresses hope for the sundial's survival following this unconventional use.
Dials: Unusual

September 2012 page 35
Tony Wood

Decorative Dials

This article discusses sundials designed purely for decorative or ornamental purposes, rather than for time-telling. Examples include two identical large gnomon dials at Barnsley and Ablington Manor, colourful tile dials from the Mediterranean, and an expensive, unfinished replica of a Thomas Tompion double horizontal dial at Hampton Court.
Dials: Vertical, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Double Horizontal

September 2012 page 41
Sara Shafiei
Ben Cowd

Mosque of the Sun II: Crown of Doha

This article presents an architectural study for a solar dome, "Mosque of the Sun II: Crown of Doha" designed to align with the sun for prayer times and celestial events. It uses digital modeling and 3D printing, with the dome's solar orientation differing from the Mecca-aligned prayer room, allowing light to create a clock/calendar on the floor.
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects

September 2012 page 43
John Davis
Jérôme Bonnin

Early 19th-century English Drawings of Greek Dials

This article details two 19th-century drawings by Charles Robert Cockerell of Greek sundials, possibly newly excavated. One depicts an unknown classical conical dial with "lion legs" and the other illustrates a rare planar, vertical east-facing dial from Delos, which later came to reside in the Louvre, recording significant ancient finds.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2012 page 45
Doug Bateman

Exhibition of Sundials, North Oxford

This entry describes a sundial exhibition held from June to September 2012 in the Turrill Sculpture Garden, Summertown, Oxford. It features 11 dials by BSS members, including David Harber's bronze dial and armillary sphere, Chris Lusby Taylor's sculptural "Undial" and "From Sunrise to Sunset" dials, and a cube dial by Harriet James.
Dials: Unusual, The BSS and Members, Dials: Cube, Dials: Armillary Sphere

December 2012 page 2
Peter Kunath

Lost And Found: The Long Journey Of An Unusual Sundial

This article details the history and journey of a Henry Moore sundial, from its 1965 commission for The Times in London to its re-alignment in Schwäbisch Hall, Germany. It covers the creation of models, its sale, damage, recovery after theft in 2012, and precise re-installation, highlighting its remarkable travels and survival.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2012 page 21
Dennis Cowan

The Strangest Place For A Sundial?

The article describes a 6ft high red sandstone cubic sundial atop an 8ft standing stone north of Luncarty, Perth & Kinross. Situated in a field, the dial's numerals and hour lines are indistinct, but gnomon holes are visible. Its century-long presence and origins remain a mystery.
Dials: Cube, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2012 page 36
Val Cowham
Leonard Honey
M Butson
Janet Jenkins
Doug Bateman
David Payne

BSS Sundial Safari To Catalonia, 13–18 September 2012

This report details the British Sundial Society's 2012 safari to Catalonia, covering visits to numerous sundials across Girona, Cabrils, Figueres, Barcelona, and other towns. Members explored diverse dials, including modern pillar dials, Salvador Dali's carved stone dial, multi-faceted and unusual museum pieces, showcasing the region's rich gnomonic heritage.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

December 2012 page 41
John Davis

Helical Sundials

The article discusses helical sundials, particularly one made by Aylmer Astbury. These are a form of equatorial dial, with a brass strip helix marking hours via small holes or a terminator shadow. They can be adjusted for longitude and Equation of Time by rotating the helix on its axis, as explained in a 1992 Bulletin article.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2012 page 41
John Davis

Mosque Of Uqba

This entry describes a modern sundial from 1843 in the courtyard of the Mosque of Uqba (Great Mosque of Kairouan) in Tunisia. Engraved in Arabic script on a marble slab, it was designed by Almed Essoussi, inspired by Ibn al-Shatir's dial. It uses four separate point gnomons to indicate prayer times.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

March 2011 page 39
Christopher Daniel

Sundial Ephemera—Crested ‘Goss’ China Sundials

This article describes a collection of miniature crested 'Goss' china sundial ornaments produced from the 1880s. These decorative horizontal dials, typically featuring local heraldic arms, were collected as souvenirs and are now considered rare treasures, despite often having incorrect hour-line delineations.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

March 2011 page 41
Mike Cowham

Dial Dealings 2010

This article reviews notable sundials and related instruments sold at auction in 2010, including a silver pocket compass dial by Richard Glynne, a double inclining string gnomon dial by Jacques Le Maire, Japanese scaphe dials, and an ivory and silver compass dial by Elias Allen.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

March 2011 page 45
Tony Wood

Examine Your Dials

This article highlights three 'unique' sundials found in a collection of photographs, encouraging readers to identify similar features. It discusses a two-faced prism dial, a vertical dial with a bent gnomon, and a direct south dial with an unusual inscription, emphasizing the individuality of pre-mass production dials.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

June 2011 page 2
Allan A. Mills

The Rainbow as a Solar Timekeeper

This article explores the rainbow as an alternative solar timekeeping phenomenon, discussing its complex optical properties, formation of primary and secondary bows, and the dispersion of light into colours. It also describes a rainbow dial instrument for time determination.
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

June 2011 page 26
Jackie Jones

A Dial to Travel With

This note describes the discovery of the 'missing' John Rowley azimuth dial from Blenheim Palace, which was identified on a new passport design. It details the dial's distinctive features and its reinstallation in 2008.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members, Dials: Double Horizontal

June 2011 page 26
John Davis

The John Rowley Dial

This article details the rediscovery and reinstallation of a lost John Rowley azimuth and equation of time dial from Blenheim Palace. It describes its unique features, including the deep double-ogee rim and specific gnomon design, and its historical significance.
Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Historical Dials, Restoration projects

September 2011 page 2
John Davis

A Medieval Gunter’s Quadrant?

This article discusses the excavation of a quadrant fragment in Norfolk in 2009, initially misidentified as an astrolabe plate. Further investigation suggests it's a hybrid device combining features of a quadrans vetus and a Gunter's quadrant, leading to questions about its medieval origins despite Gunter's later development of his eponymous instrument.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2011 page 16
Allan A. Mills

Ancient Egyptian Sundials

This article reviews ancient Egyptian timekeeping, debunking obelisks as gnomons and a Cairo Museum artifact as a sundial. It focuses on the ‘sloping’ or ‘inclined plane’ portable, seasonal-hour altitude dials, such as the Qantara dial, and earlier L-shaped 'shadow sticks' from the New Kingdom, discussing their construction, use, and the challenges in interpreting their time-telling functions.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, How Sundials Work

September 2011 page 27
Walter Hofmann

Umbra Docet—the shadow teaches

This piece announces an exhibition in Moedling, Austria, from September 2011 to February 2012, focusing on time and sundials. The exhibition features models of sundials from Johannes Gaupp's 'Gnomonica Mechanica Universalis' (1665-1738), symbolistic pictures by Ernst Steiner, and documentation of wall sundials in Moedling.
Dials: Vertical, Dials: Unusual

September 2011 page 48

Holiday Sightings

This short entry presents a photo of a declining, reclining sundial from Cavtat, Croatia, seen during a holiday. It suggests the dial likely uses the tip of the gnomon as a nodus and that the lines might have been drawn empirically, as the shadow of the gnomon does not align with the hour lines. The motto translates to 'Do not touch'.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2011 page 8
Jackie Jones

Time For Another Beer?

This article details the design and creation of a transparent chalice dial on a 1-pint beer glass, to be read from the outside like a shepherd's dial. The challenge was to make it simple to use, casting a beam of sunlight through a dark circle to indicate time on equal-width month columns. Calculations for sun's altitude were performed for different months and hours, leading to a functional beer-glass sundial.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, Construction Projects

December 2011 page 22
J. P. Lester

A Stump-work Dial

This short piece describes a stump-work mirror frame from about 1650 in Montacute House, Somerset, which features an image appearing to be a declining west sundial. It possibly represents a dial found on the house itself. Little else is known about this embroidered dial, highlighting an unusual artistic representation of a sundial.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

December 2011 page 23
Michael J. Harley

New Dials

This article describes a newly erected 180 cm high granite sundial in the Irish National Heritage Park, Ferrycarrig, weighing over 2 tonnes. Modelled on ancient monastic sundials, its temporal lines were designed to mark canonical prayer times rather than passing hours. Only twelve such ancient monastic sundials survive, making this reconstruction an important addition.
Construction Projects, Dials: Mass Dials, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2011 page 41
John Foad

A Painted Polyhedral Dial

This article discusses a polyhedral dial from Loudoun Castle, Scotland, that was restored and controversially painted in the 1990s using 17th-century colours. The paint was later removed, and the lines re-engraved. The author expresses concern that the dial's current location at Jodrell Bank Observatory is unknown, raising questions about the preservation and tracking of historical sundials.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Restoration projects

March 2010 page 10
Valery Dmitriev
Harriet James
John Davis

New Dials

A collection of short articles describing new sundials. These include an equatorial 'solar acorn' dial in Solar, Russia; a vertical declining dial in Oxford inspired by Christopher Wren; and a mass-produced, flat-packed equatorial 'Sun Disc' from Australia designed for various latitudes.
Dials: Vertical, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Construction Projects

March 2010 page 38
Malcolm Barnfield

The Voortrekker Monument, Pretoria, South Africa

Describes how the Voortrekker Monument in Pretoria functions as a timekeeper. An aperture in the dome allows a ray of sunlight to illuminate a cenotaph at Local Solar Noon on 16th December each year, commemorating the 1838 Battle of Blood River.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, Historical Dials, Dials: Noon Lines

June 2010 page 2
Allan A. Mills

The Sundial as an Aeolian Harp

This article explores the concept of integrating an aeolian harp into a sundial's support structure to complement the visual time-telling with ethereal wind-generated music. It details the history and theory of aeolian harps, including the physics of 'aeolian tones' and string resonance. The author describes the construction of a prototype venturi-type aeolian sundial using inexpensive materials, highlighting design considerations for soundboxes, strings, and the integration of a horizontal dial.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 2010 page 38
Mike Cowham

An Unusual Slate Sundial

This article examines a unique slate dial from 1712, signed 'G B FECIT'. It notes several unusual features, including incorrect gnomon alignments on subsidiary dials, ornate rococo-like decoration, and French origin due to spellings and slate material. The article also highlights a large discrepancy between calculated latitude and gnomon angle, along with various other intriguing engravings like months, zodiac signs, lunar cycles, epacts, and a crest.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

June 2010 page 41
Tony Wood

The Woodchester ‘Unicorn’ Dial

This article describes the formal launch of the 'Unicorn dial' at North Woodchester, Gloucestershire. It features a massive 17ft helical gnomon made of chromium-plated stainless steel, weighing a ton, and held at a 51¾-degree angle. The gnomon was aligned by Michael Maltin, outlining the garden layout which incorporates Chinese themes and floral hour lines.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 2010 page 46
Frauke van der Wall
Gerhard G. Wagner

An Obelisk-Shaped Sundial with Wind Indicator in the Mainfränkisches Museum, Würzburg, Germany

This article describes a unique obelisk-shaped sundial from 1742 in the Mainfränkisches Museum Würzburg. Made of Franconian sandstone, it features 10 sundials and a mechanical wind indicator with a rotating hand connected to a vane by internal gearing. The construction, with dials on inclined surfaces and a Turk's head sculpture, is highly unusual and suggests a learned, wealthy commissioner for an impressive park.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2010 page 26

Gnomon Supporters

This note describes a horizontal sundial in the Netherlands with a pole-style gnomon shaped as a farm labourer holding a hoe, designed and constructed in Cor-Ten steel as a community project.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

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

September 2010 page 36
Jérôme Bonnin
Tony Wood (transl.)

Timekeepers in Britain, 43-780 AD: Origins, the Roman contribution, and Anglo-Saxon continuity

This article investigates the presence and influence of Roman timekeepers in Britain from 43-780 AD, noting the scarcity of archaeological finds compared to other Roman provinces. It explores historical, cultural, and military evidence, including a mosaic depiction and rudimentary sundial objects, and briefly discusses the obscure origins of Saxon dials.
Dials: Mass Dials, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2010 page 9
Frank King

A New Babylonian and Italian Hours Sundial for Selwyn College, Cambridge. Pt. 2. Numerical Insights

This article is the second part of a series detailing the Selwyn College sundial, focusing on its numerical properties. It explains the criss-cross pattern of Babylonian and Italian hour-lines, their relationship with French hours, and the concept of 'extra daylight.' It also provides methods for setting out these hour-lines.
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2010 page 11
John Davis

Kratzer’s Lost Dial

This entry describes a now-lost sundial designed by Nicholaus Kratzer in 1520 for St Mary's churchyard wall in Oxford. Based on a design in Kratzer's MS De Horologiis it showed Babylonian hours in green on the East side, Italian hours in blue on the West, and ordinary hours and declinations on the south face.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2010 page 31
Mike Groom

Newbury 2010

This report summarises the British Sundial Society's Newbury Meeting on 25 September 2010, attended by 36 members. It highlights short talks on scientific sundials in Britain, Essex dial restorations, and Devon/Cornwall dials. Exhibits included devices for determining sun direction, reproductions of historical dials, and modern designs.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Restoration projects, The BSS and Members

December 2010 page 37
John Davis

Merton College Dial

This entry describes the sundial on the east side of the chapel at Merton College, Oxford. Dating possibly from 1629 or 1659, and potentially redesigned by Jo. Bainbridge or Henry Briggs, it uses a simple nodus on an adjacent buttress to cast a shadow with criss-cross lines, although an extension on the south side shown in a 1922 drawing is no longer visible.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2010 page 41
Valery Dmitriev

New Dials (1)

This article presents two new sundial designs. The first is a white marble sundial for a Japanese garden near Chelyabinsk, Russia, featuring a gnomon adapted from the Japanese character for 'tiger' and Japanese characters for hour markings. The second is a Dracula Dial with a gnomon of stainless steel and black lacquer, set near Korporie fortress, which was unfortunately stolen.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2010 page 45
Tony Belk

The BSS 2010 Sundial Design Competition

This report covers the fourth BSS Sundial Design Competition, which received 14 entries across restoration, professional, and amateur classes, though no junior entries. Graham Aldred won the Major Prize for his restoration of the Lyme Park dial. Other prizes were awarded for a south-facing vertical dial and highly commended entries for a sun/moon dial, a prototype noon mark dial, and a vertical dial using a 'super ellipse.'
Dials: Unusual, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout, The BSS and Members

March 2009 page 27
Jill Wilson
Tony Wood

Is that a Dial? Barcheston, Warwickshire

This article describes the discovery of a unique sundial carved into the base of a former churchyard cross at Barcheston, Warwickshire. The stonework was trimmed to a 52° slope on the south side, with recessed flat regions revealing traces of hour lines. It is classified as a large horizontal in stone with a notably wide gnomon.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

March 2009 page 43
John Wall

Graveyard and other Memorial Sundials

This article explores sundials used as memorials, discussing their historical significance from Roman times. It details numerous examples, including tombstone dials, pillar-mounted dials in churchyards (e.g., St Mawnan's, Dryburgh Abbey), and war memorials. The article highlights epitaphs, theft incidents, and the symbolic connection between sundials and the passage of time.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Mottoes

March 2009 page 48
Tony Moss

Sundial Alarm

This entry describes an inventive "Ye Sundyal Alarme Bafic Modelle" and a "Deluxe modelle" The basic model uses sunlight focused by a cylindrical lens to heat a copper ball, melting wax that triggers a mousetrap and a bell. The deluxe version also lights a fire for a morning posset, offering a creative, if anachronistic, take on sundial functionality.
Dials: Unusual, DIY Sundial Projects

June 2009 page 44
John Moir
David Harber

New dials

Describes two new dials. The first is a vertical declining dial with symbolic hour marks created using incised plasterwork (pargeting) in Wanstead. The second is a new globe moondial in stainless steel which shows time by the moon for nine days around the full moon.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout

June 2009 page 47
Dina Hviid
Curt Roslund

A novel reflecting dial in Sweden

Describes a unique reflecting sundial where a flat mirror reflects a sunbeam onto a curved wall that serves as the dial plate. The article explains the geometry, calculations, and calibration process for this artistic and scientific instrument located at Tolefors Farm, Sweden.
Dials: Reflected, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 2009 page 48
John Davis

Chiming sundial

A short note featuring a 1645 drawing by Athanasius Kircher of an ‘Organum Heliocausticum’. This is a sundial designed to chime the hours by using a spherical lens to focus sunlight onto gunpowder, which in turn releases an arm to strike a bell.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2009 page 2
Michael Lowne
John Davis

A universal altitude dial by John Marke

Describes a unique universal altitude dial made by John Marke, possibly for Robert Boyle, now in the London Science Museum. The article details the instrument's provenance, its physical characteristics, and its complex operation as a combined clinometer and sundial. It provides an in-depth analysis of the mathematical principles involved and its potential accuracy.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Mathematics of Dialling

September 2009 page 9
Tony Wood

Modern mass dials and an experiment with time

Discusses modern scratch dials made since the medieval period for various reasons other than marking mass times. It presents several examples, including a decorative dial in Scotland, a memorial dial in Macclesfield, unusual dials on windowsills on the island of Canna, and the 'Toucan Dial' at Leeds Castle.
Dials: Mass Dials, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2009 page 10
Michael J. Harley

Prehistoric sundials in Ireland

Explores potential prehistoric sundials within the megalithic passage tombs of Brú na Bóinne in Ireland, including Newgrange, Dowth, and Knowth. The article examines specific stone carvings, such as the 'Stone of the Seven Suns' and Kerbstones K7 and K15 at Knowth, discussing theories that they may be sundials or calendars.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, How Sundials Work

September 2009 page 20
Michael Lowne

Reader’s letter

A letter responding to a previous article on Kircher’s 'Organum Heliocausticum'. The author argues that the instrument as depicted could not work because the focal length of the spherical lens is drawn incorrectly.
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work

September 2009 page 25

A sundial hat

Features a unique sundial hat designed by Joanna Migdal for the Ascot races. The hat is a functional sundial designed for the latitude of Ascot, with its gnomon made of feathers. It is delineated to show "Race Time," indicating the start times of the races.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2009 page 32
Roger Bowling

Two Manchester glass dials

Discusses two now-lost stained-glass sundials from the Manchester area. One, at Didsbury Old Parsonage, was designed in 1903 by Fletcher Moss. The author describes the second, an 18th-century dial at Kersal Cell, and speculates it may have been instigated by its owner, the prominent Jacobite John Byrom.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

September 2009 page 36
Mike Cowham
Bill Linnard

The recently discovered Irish-style dial at Tywyn

Details the discovery and preservation of an Irish-style pillar dial (c. 700-1000 AD) in Tywyn, Wales. Found in 1986 among rubble, the dial was later used as a milepost. The article describes its features and recounts the successful effort to have the vulnerable stone moved to St Cadfan's Church.
Dials: Mass Dials, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Restoration projects

September 2009 page 45
John Davis

Hans Holbein’s design for a clocksalt

Presents and discusses a drawing by Hans Holbein the Younger for a 'clocksalt'—a combined hourglass, clock, and salt cellar—designed as a gift for Henry VIII. The piece incorporates two curved sundials, whose design is attributed to Nikolaus Kratzer, and the author notes their curious and unusual delineation.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2009 page 2
Robert Hannah

The Pantheon as a timekeeper

This article argues that the Pantheon in Rome functions as a large-scale timekeeper, similar to a roofed spherical sundial. It examines how sunlight entering through the oculus marks specific times of the year, such as the equinoxes, and compares its astronomical features to those of Nero's Domus Aurea.
Dials: Hemispherical, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2009 page 5
Kevin Karney
Colin Davis

Reader’s letter

The first letter describes an innovative focusing sphere lens made of lucite and copper sulphate, designed for use in a sundial. The second letter confirms that Samuel Turner, a diallist, was also the sculptor of his own tombstone which features a direct west dial.
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Historical Dials

December 2009 page 14
Valery Dmitriev
Malcolm Barnfield

New dials

This section presents two new dials. The first is a stone vertical dial near St Petersburg with a theme from a Chekhov story. The second is a 'triple horizontal dial' made of stainless steel for a garden in South Africa, which includes a nocturnal and family anniversary lines.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Nocturnals

December 2009 page 26
Tony Belk

A photographer’s sundial

Describes the design and use of a pocket-sized device for photographers to predict the sun's direction at any time of day or year. Based on a horizontal stereographic projection, the instrument uses a rotating dowel aligned with date and time scales to help plan for specific lighting conditions.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2009 page 34
Rafael Soler

A double catenary bifilar sundial for the Balearic Islands University Campus

This article describes a large and innovative bifilar sundial. It uses the intersecting shadows cast by two suspended chains hanging in catenary curves to indicate both the time and the date on a large tiled pavement. The article provides a summary of the complex mathematical calculations involved in its design.
Dials: Bifilar, Dials: Unusual, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2009 page 37
John Davis

Satellite dish sundial

A report on a commercial satellite dish, produced by the German firm Fuba, that incorporates a functional sundial on its parabolic surface. The author notes that the dial is designed for a specific latitude and satellite position and remarks on its similarity to a dish dial he built himself in 1999.
Dials: Vertical, Dials: Unusual

March 2008 page 16
John Foad

The Swear-Box Sundial

This article recounts the legend of Sir Henry Yule, a Bengal Engineer in the 1840s, who, vexed by his own temper and his native workmen's unpunctuality, fined himself two rupees each time he lost his temper. He used the accumulated money to erect a 'handsome' sundial at Roorkee to teach the locals the value of time.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

March 2008 page 48
Roger Bowling

A Grinling Gibbons Dial

Describes a non-working universal equinoctial ring dial, about 12cm in diameter, incorporated into a 1684 lime-wood carving by Grinling Gibbons. This carving, representing arts and sciences, is located in the saloon of Lyme Hall, alongside other astronomical and navigation instruments, reflecting Sir Richard Legh's interest in the sciences.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2008 page 106

Watts’ Dial

This piece follows up on the whereabouts of George Watts' sundial, confirming Mary Watts as its maker. It reports that the terracotta dial was stolen from a private garden in the 1990s and remains unrecovered, appealing to readers for information. The text also mentions the existence of a better photograph in Veronica Franklin Gould's biography of Mary.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2008 page 118
Irene Brightmer

Readers’ Letters

Irene Brightmer shares details of a vertical surrealist sundial by Salvador Dalí in Paris, featuring a blue-eyed female face. She also describes two historic meridians nearby: one in the Church of Saint-Sulpice, commissioned from Henry Sully, and the official Paris meridian marked by over a hundred Arago medallions.
Dials: Noon Lines, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

September 2008 page 141
Tony Wood
Jill Wilson

Readers’ Letters (cont.)

Tony Wood writes about a porcelain dial from 1766 at the Royal Worcester Porcelain Museum, describing its detailed delineation. Jill Wilson responds to Chris Williams' mass dial article, noting a correlation between dial distribution and geology, and suggesting further research into building materials and church histories for a complete picture of dial loss.
Dials: Mass Dials, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

September 2008 page 148
Julian Lush

Sundials in Armenia

Julian Lush explores the prevalence of sundials in Armenia, linking their abundance to the nation's ancient veneration of the sun deity 'Ar.' He describes the common 'shell' or 'scallop' dial form found on 5th-13th century churches and monasteries, noting unique Armenian alphanumeric hour numbering and the enduring sun disc emblem on khachkars.
Dials: Vertical, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2008 page 203
Nicola Severino
John Davis

A Puzzle at Ravello, Italy

This article investigates a puzzling sundial in the Rose Garden of Villa Cimbrone at Ravello, Italy. Despite its fine design and the builder's knowledge of clocks, the dial's inclination and gnomon angle are incorrect for its latitude, suggesting it was originally a horizontal dial for England or is a non-dial. It also mentions another horizontal dial at the villa.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

March 2007 page 9
Chris Lusby Taylor
Tony Ashmore
Allan A. Mills

Readers’ letters

This section contains correspondence from readers. Chris Lusby Taylor discusses the use of Hooke’s joint for delineating declining and reclining dials, while Allan Mills replies regarding an error in a previous paper. Tony Ashmore suggests an interpretation for the 'Egyptian Face' design on a sundial pillar at Lord Tennyson's home, attributing it to Ptolemy.
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling

June 2007 page 84
E. Th. Theodossiou
Y. Kouris
V. N. Manimanis

The Vertical Sundial of Panaghia Vlaherna Convent in Kyllene, Pelloponnese

This article describes a unique vertical sundial at the Byzantine Panaghia Vlaherna Convent in Kyllene, Greece. Made of white marble, it features 13 fan-shaped petals representing hours without numerals, reflecting local tradition and contrasting with Western sundial practices. It discusses the monastery's history and the dial's architectural integration.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

September 2007 page 105
Piers Nicholson

Noon Cannons: A Sundial Conceit

This article discusses noon cannons, devices that fire at solar noon using a magnifying glass to ignite powder. It describes preparing and firing a cannon, noting it's more for fun than accuracy. It also mentions historical examples from the mid-17th and 18th centuries, modern versions, and current licensing restrictions in England. A specific F. Barker and Son cannon is detailed.
Dials: Noon Lines, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

February 2006 page 14
Norman Darwood

A Moon Dial

This article provides instructions for assembling and using a moon dial. It explains how to determine the moon's phase using the Golden Number and how to rotate the dial to find the current time. The author notes that this dial relies on estimating the moon’s direction rather than casting a visible shadow, due to the moon's light intensity.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Nocturnals

February 2006 page 40
Geoffrey Lane

Glass Sundial Makers of 17th Century London

This article explores the careers and working methods of prominent 17th-century London glass sundial makers, including Baptist Sutton, John Oliver, Richard Dutton, and William Price. It identifies common features of London dials, discusses challenges in attributing their work, and examines the role of these figures as mathematical practitioners.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

June 2006 page 78
Mike Cowham

The Pyramidical Dial in the King’s Garden at Whitehall

This article reconstructs the spherical dials from the complex 1669 Pyramidical Dial in Whitehall, based on descriptions by William Leybourn. It details various glass sphere dials, including those showing time by heat ("fire"), water, optical alignment ("air"), and terrestrial globes ("earth"), and discusses their delicate construction and short lifespan.
Dials: Hemispherical, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

March 2005 page 14
Sven Olof Larsson

A Flagpole Sundial

Presents design of a vertical sundial adapted for flagpole installation, with dial furniture indicating sunrise and sunset signal times for hoisting and lowering the flag. Covers dial plate calibration for specific latitude, readability challenges under low contrast, and suggests precision improvements via vernier scales and solar-aligned sighting mechanisms.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual

March 2005 page 36
John Foad

An Ecliptic Calendar Dial

Introduces a novel ecliptic-aligned sundial for direct solar date indication on a linear scale. Describes aligning the dial plane with the ecliptic, date scale calibration, equation of date application, and improved prism-based design. Demonstrates lunar path visualization and usage for sun compass orientation.
Dials: Unusual, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2005 page 160
Graham Aldred

The Lyme Hall Horizontal Equinoctial Sundial

This article details the discovery and reconstruction of a unique 1683 combined horizontal equinoctial sundial at Lyme Hall. The author describes deciphering the inscription "R Legh 1683," examining its robust bronze construction and innovative two-hole sight/screen system. The article also explores the dial's historical context, its owner Richard Legh, and a possible link to George Gibbs's Helio-Chronometer.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2005 page 172
Doug Bateman

The Cross Dial by C V Boys at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

This article investigates the bronze cross dial by C.V. Boys at Kew Gardens, noting its unusual design and puzzling errors in the engraved latitude and longitude. It traces the dial's history, including its temporary display and previous locations within the gardens, and highlights the scientific reputation of its designer, Sir Charles Vernon Boys FRS.
Dials: Polar, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout

December 2005 page 175
Allan A. Mills

Sundials at the University of Leicester

This piece highlights four unusual sundials at the University of Leicester campus. It features a two-meter-high "Eye of Time" noon mark, a modern sculptural piece indicating both time of year and day via an analemma. Also mentioned are John Davis's "Newton" dial and two matching vertical declining dials in Westmoreland slate, one showing equal hours and the other seasonal hours.
Dials: Noon Lines, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical

March 2004 page 6
Doug Bateman

Sundial with a Cricketing Theme

This article describes a millennium sundial project in Holyport, Berkshire, featuring a unique cricketing theme due to the village's history with the sport. Designed by Edwin Russell with cricketer sculptures by Lorne McKean, the dial includes hand-made 'quint' bricks, a time capsule, and hour lines delineated for summer time.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

March 2004 page 18
Andrew J. Ogden

A Spherical Sundial at Ilkley, Yorkshire

The author describes the rediscovery of a spherical sundial in a garden rockery in Ilkley, Yorkshire. Though eroded, the dial's equatorial line and Roman numerals were visible. The article notes its previous location and the commonality of such dials on gateposts, suggesting a possible need for closer examination of stone balls in similar settings.
Dials: Unusual

June 2004 page 47
Mike Cowham

Magnetic Azimuth Dials

Historical and technical discussion of magnetic azimuth dials from the 17th century, including Dieppe ivory examples, London surveying instruments, and design considerations for modern reconstructions.
Dialling Tools, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

June 2004 page 53
Silas Higgon

An Azimuthal Mean Time Dial: Development of a Sundial Design

Step-by-step account of designing and building a cylindrical azimuthal mean time dial with mechanical correction application, including prototype testing and accuracy assessment.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2004 page 103
Karl G. Hofbauer

A sun and moon dial with Babylonic and Italian hours

Description of a multi-plane stone dial ensemble that shows Babylonian and Italian hours by day and acts as a moon dial at night; discusses decorative Earth/moon motifs, orientation relative to local and Basel reference planes and how the lunar readout is used.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work

September 2004 page 124
P. A. Auber

The cylindrical box of Antoninus Pius — Part 1

Analysis of the small Roman bronze ‘cylindrical box’ with pierced disks in Vienna; interprets the object as a portable/rolling sundial (viatoria pensilia), applies Padre Secchi calculations and discusses mounting/suspension possibilities and function.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2004 page 143
P. A. Auber

The cylindrical box of Antoninus Pius — part 2

Concluding analysis of the Roman cylindrical portable dial/box. Examines iconography, construction hypotheses (lateral hole or pivot gnomon), latitude and use-mode limitations, accuracy concerns and comparisons with related museum pieces; concludes it is plausibly a status object with limited gnomonic precision.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

December 2004 page 160
John Wall

Sundial for a golden wedding

Account of a commissioned engraved glass sundial created for a golden wedding anniversary. The gnomon is replaced with an aperture on the outer window, illuminating the dial on the engraved inner pane of glass. Covers design choices, layout and the inclusion of equation-of-time/longitude correction features, installation notes and the personal significance of the dedication.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

March 2003 page 17
Gerald Stancey

More Sundials on the Centrovalli Line

Follow-up on sundials along the Centrovalli railway line in Northern Italy, including new photographs and credit to designer Giacomo Bonzani.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical

March 2003 page 24
Mike Cowham

Dial Dealings 2002

Annual round-up of notable sundials discovered or reported in 2002, highlighting interesting examples and unusual features.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual

June 2003 page 58
Allan A. Mills
P. Stapleton
J. P. D. Hennessy

Sundials for the Blind

This article explores the concept of creating a sundial for the visually impaired. It reviews historical attempts, such as one by the 17th-century Jesuit priest Francis Hall, and discusses modern approaches that use the heat of the sun rather than visible light.
Construction Projects, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2003 page 108
Tony Wood

The Benoy Dial - Part 1

The first part of an article on a unique 'New Optical Dial' invented by W. Gordon Benoy. It's a sundial that tells time with a beam of light rather than a shadow. The article describes its construction, its weight, and some technical details including using a glass cylinder filled with water containing anti-freeze.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual

September 2003 page 116
Mike Cowham

The Discovery of a Spherical Sundial at Hilton, Cambridgeshire

A discussion about a spherical sundial discovered in the village of Hilton. The article compares it to other historical spherical dials and suggests it may have been incorrectly restored.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2003 page 122
John Moir
John Davis

An Armillary Octahedron

This article details the design and construction of an armillary octahedron, a complex sundial structure. It describes the process of making the intersecting V shapes and the challenges of assembly due to thermal expansion.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual

September 2003 page 129

Transport Through the Ages

This article features two sundials with a transportation theme. One is a west-facing dial on a house in Warminster with hour lines that look like railway sleepers, and the other is a photo of a penny-farthing cyclist outside a cycle museum.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical

December 2003 page 144
John Singleton
Barrie Singleton

The Druid

An account of the conception and development of a helical sundial known as 'The Druid', highlighting the innovation of the 'Smart Shadow' and construction techniques.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, DIY Sundial Projects

December 2003 page 175
Tony Wood

The Benoy Dial, Part Two

Continuation of a discussion of an innovative dial, focussing light through a cylinder onto an equatorial dial plate
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual

March 2002 page 4
John Davis

An Isaac Newton Sundial

Describes the design and creation of a unique sundial featuring a statue of Newton holding a prism, inspired by his optical work and historic dials at Woolsthorpe.
Construction Projects, Dials: Polar, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

March 2002 page 27
Tony Wood

Small Mystery in York

Reports on an unusual stained glass window sundial in York with a curiosity in the painting of a wrongly deliniated sundial in its centre.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

March 2002 page 32
Karen Deal Robinson

Karen's Hand Sundial: A 'Digital Universal Ring Dial'

Describes a simple sundial formed purely by the hands, giving approximate time and direction towards north.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual

March 2002 page 39
Allan A. Mills

Calendar Dials

Explores dials intended to show the date rather than the time, by reading the shadow of an equinoctial ring on a scale on the stile.
Dials: Polar, Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work

June 2002 page 46
John Moir

Shadowy Secrets (Part 3) - The Pigpen Mystery Solved

A ciphered sundial motto in Italy is decoded using a Masonic pigpen cipher; the story follows the decoding process and offers a translation.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

June 2002 page 67
E. Th. Theodossiou
V. N. Manimanis

The Japanese Sundial of Ancient Epidaurus

Study of a Greek sundial gifted to Epidaurus by the Japanese town of Nishiki, exploring ancient cross-cultural astronomical instrumentation.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual

June 2002 page 69
E. Wilson

The Sundial at Castletown, Isle of Man

Description and analysis of a unique local sundial in Castletown with regional design features.
Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

June 2002 page 71
John Foad

An Unusual Indoor Sundial

Report on a sundial situated on a church windowsill in Dartford, Kent.
Dials: Unusual

September 2002 page 91
Tony Wood

New Zealand: Four Dials and a Diallist

The author explores four distinctive sundials across New Zealand, discussing their design, settings, and local cultural influences, with special focus on Ray Sanson’s dials.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

September 2002 page 104
Frank Evans

Austria 2002: A Sundial Safari

Travelogue of the BSS tour of Austria led by Walter Hofmann, visiting monasteries, public dials, and craftspeople; rich in descriptions of painted and sculptural dials.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, The BSS and Members

September 2002 page 109
Shaul Adam

Ancient Sundials of Israel Part 2: Sundials Found in Israel Outside Jerusalem

Continuation of a study cataloguing archaeological sundials discovered in various parts of Israel outside Jerusalem, detailing design, materials, and historical significance.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2002 page 115
Margaret Stanier

The Twentieth Century

An essay reflecting on the evolution of sundial making and the Society's activities during the 20th century, highlighting significant developments and personalities.
Dials: Bifilar, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

September 2002 page 131
Silas Higgon

Improved Azimuth Dial

Proposal for a design enhancement to the azimuth dial, aiming to improve readability and construction precision.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual

December 2002 page 161

Helios

Brief note on a modern artistic reflective sundial design named 'Helios'
Dials: Reflected, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 2001 page 65
Andrew McVean

Uttoxeter Millennium Monument

Describes the Uttoxeter Millennium Monument, a large stone disc featuring a solar system theme and an armillary sundial. Conceived to inspire exploration and celebrate the town, it incorporates local craftsmanship, planetary representations, and embedded plaques documenting its creation and sponsors. A time capsule is also concealed within the monument.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual

June 2001 page 67
Mike Shaw

A Remote Reading Sundial Using Fibre Optics

Mike Shaw details his innovative two-component sundial system, comprising an equatorial collector in the garden and a remote display unit indoors, linked by fibre optics. Designed to overcome the need to go outside to read time and simplify the display, the article describes its construction, addressing material challenges and light-gathering techniques.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual

June 2001 page 73
Sven Olof Larsson

A Stardial

The article presents the Stardial, an innovative device functioning as an equatorial sundial by day and a simplified astrolabe by night. Designed for simplicity, accuracy, and originality, it enables automatic conversion from local solar time to clock time and provides methods for precise time-telling using bright stars and even the moon.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Astrolabe, DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Nocturnals

June 2001 page 82
John Foad

The Laid Dial and the Rain Dial

John Foad proposes new categories for sundials designed to prevent rain accumulation: the "Laid Dial," a reclining dial with an "Angle of Lie," and the "Rain Dial", featuring a conical raised centre. He discusses the practical advantages of these forms in preserving dial plates and enhancing readability, and the pleasing play on words.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

September 2001 page 92
John Wall

Old Father Time

This article explores three freestanding stone "Father Time" statues in Britain, each incorporating a horizontal sundial. All are attributed to sculptor John Nost from the early 18th century and feature sundial plates by Thomas Heath. The article discusses the origin of the Father Time iconography and notes the uniqueness of these statues in depicting him with a sundial rather than an hourglass.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

September 2001 page 113
Allan A. Mills

The Eye of Time

Describes a modern, three-dimensional noon mark sculpture in Portland stone, with analemma. It indicates both the instant of mean-time noon and the time of year by projecting a spot of sunlight onto an incised analemma. This design is believed to be the first of its kind that is 3-dimensional.
Dials: Noon Lines, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time

September 2001 page 127

Armillary Sphere in Cheadle, Cheshire

An armillary sundial, commemorating the Millennium, was recently unveiled in Cheadle, Cheshire. Designed and made by local blacksmith Jim Plant from iron cart-wheel tires, it also honours astronomer Miss Mary Adela Blagg. The sundial's unveiling was attended by BSS President Sir Francis Graham-Smith.
Construction Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual

September 2001 page 127
Herbert Wright

A Timepiece That Can't Go Wrong

Originally published in "The Countryman" in 1948, this article describes a highly accurate horizontal sundial built by the author while interned in a Japanese camp in China. Constructed from scrap materials using improvised tools and limited references, this unique dial provided correct clock time with built-in Equation of Time correction, serving as the camp's only reliable timepiece.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time

December 2001 page 147
Don Petrie

Wales, 2001

This article reports on the 2001 Wales Sundial Safari, detailing the examination of various sundials across the region. Highlights include a rare bridge sundial, historical church dials, a heliochronometer, and an ancient Celtic stele dial. The tour also featured a moon dial, various horizontal and vertical designs, and complex multi-component dials like the 1595 Marrington Hall example, showcasing Wales's diverse gnomonic heritage.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

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

February 2000 page 17

Two Sundials in Australia

Brief photographic descriptions of a translucent horizontal dial in Brisbane and a camel-shaped sundial in Marree made from railway sleepers.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual

February 2000 page 20
David A. Young

A Remote Reading Sundial

Design and construction of an electronic equatorial sundial with phototransistors and LED display for remote indication of time.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual

June 2000 page 70
Tony Wood

The Noon Day Stone at St. Martin's Church, Horsley, Gloucestershire

Describes a modern noon-marking stone and tests its alignment by observation of solar shadows.
Dials: Unusual

June 2000 page 72
Margaret Stanier

Private Sundials

Reflects on unintentional yet personally meaningful shadow effects observed in architectural settings.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual

February 1999 page 8
Mike Isaacs

A Bernhardt Sundial in Israel

The author recounts discovering a Bernhardt dial at the Hebrew University in Rehovoth, Israel, in 1980. This memorial to Sir Hans Kronberger features special gnomon and dial shapes designed to provide directly read local mean time accurate to within a fraction of a minute.
Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Historical Dials

February 1999 page 25
Allan A. Mills

Glass Sundials

This article introduces refractive sundials made from transparent solids like glass, specifically glass paperweight sundials for window sills. The nodus is an 'aperture' on the top of the paperweight, casting a spot on a dial card on the bottom, with a more compact pattern than in air.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, DIY Sundial Projects

February 1999 page 33

Readers' Letters

This section contains diverse reader correspondence, including a tribute to Charles Aked, discussions on the Equation of Time and Bernhardt dials, explanations of the Lluc sundial in Mallorca, a comparison of Eureka compass cards, reflections on restoration, and a submission on 'Tipple Times'.
Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Dialling Tools, The BSS and Members

February 1999 page 40
John Moir

Shadowy Secrets: The Lure of the Obscure (Part 2)

John Moir continues his exploration of hidden meanings and symbolism in sundials, presenting examples of 'false identity' dials like a bowl dial and a cat-shaped memorial. He delves into using logos, Morse code, and snooker ball colour codes, as well as analogies like railway lines and hair-lines, to enrich sundial design.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, Equation of Time, Mottoes

June 1999 page 70
John Moir

Putting the Shepherd's Dyal on the Map

This article investigates a hillside sundial, known as the "Shepherd's Dyal," in Settle, Yorkshire, depicted in a 1720 sketch by Samuel Buck. It examines the dial's creation, disappearance between 1750 and 1779, and functionality. The analysis suggests the dial, with stone hour markers, was likely laid out empirically at the Summer Solstice, making it useful as a time-keeper only for a few weeks around mid-summer.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

June 1999 page 87
Paul Gagnaire

The Scaphe of Carthage

This article describes a rare eyelet-hole scaphe sundial discovered at a Roman villa in Carthage, dating to 1st century AD or later. It details the marble artefact's exterior, including oak-leaf decoration and a fixing wedge, and its highly polished interior with seven non-concentric curves and eleven hour lines. Unique inscriptions in Greek and Latin Julian month names, including 'Augustus' (dating it after 9 BC), and zodiac signs mark its exceptional nature.
Dials: Scaphe, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

October 1999 page 135
R. A. Nicholls

Millennium Fever

This article discusses millennium projects, highlighting two commissions. One is a 10ft tall horizontal dial sculpture for the Harborough canal basin, costing £15,000 with Lottery Funds. The other is a memorial in Rimpton Parish, Dorset, consisting of two 8ft high standing slabs with a 50mm slot aligned to sunrise on 1st January 2000. Despite likely cloudy weather, the intention is to attend annually for a champagne ritual, establishing a new English tradition.
Construction Projects, Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual

October 1999 page 148
Mark Lennox-Boyd

La Meridiana: A Millennium Project

This article describes a millennium project involving the construction of a tower, 'La Meridiana', near Rome, to house a series of internal sundials. The author designed 10 dials for the walls and ceiling, read by sunlight projected through openings or reflected by a mirror. An experimental dial at his family house achieved accuracy within 10 seconds. The project aims to demonstrate precise time and date measurement, zodiac, altitude, and azimuth, using novel methods for declination, horizon, and meridian establishment.
Construction Projects, Dials: Reflected, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

February 1998 page 3
Allan A. Mills

The Sellotape Sundial: A Modern Version of Wheatstone’s Polarization Dial of 1848

Explains a shadow-free sundial using sky polarization: a fan of Sellotape (cellophane) sectors is viewed with an analyser at the Brewster angle. The brightest sector (or equal adjacent sectors) indicates hours and half-hours, and the dial can work with the Sun behind cloud or after sunset.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual

February 1998 page 13
Nicola Severino

A Cushion Sundial

Notes an article from 1896 describing a dial found in a tomb of the VII or VIIIth century, with equal hour lines, which would be the earliest known dial in Europe with 'astronomical' hours.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

June 1998 page 4
Denis Schneider

Ancient Egyptian Shadow Clocks

A history of ancient Egyptian methods of time measurement, from early shadow clocks to later step-sundials. It explains how these instruments worked, their limitations, and mentions the work of Jean-Francois Champollion in identifying one.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

June 1998 page 11
John Moir
Margaret Stanier

Almost Dials and Useless Dials

Showcases several examples of sundials deemed either 'almost' functional or 'useless.' It features a quasi-armillary sphere, a horizontal dial with a dysfunctional gnomon, a spherical sundial with perplexing projections, and a cathedral dial whose black face renders the shadow invisible, highlighting design flaws.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1998 page 12
Gary Rolfe

A Twist on the Helix Dial

The article describes how to make a sundial by setting a series of faces on a solid object to indicate time. The faces are parallel to the earth's axis and turn to show specific times. The design, which can be cast from a mould, allows for time to be judged to within five minutes by observing the changing shadow on the face. The novel design has been patented
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1998 page 16
Margaret Stanier

Bernhardt Dials

This article describes the distinctive equatorial sundials designed by modern German artist M. Bernhardt. These feature a polished aluminium gnomon pointing towards Polaris, and an hour scale calibrated for mean time, incorporating the equation-of-time correction within the gnomon's outline. Interchangeable gnomons allow for seasonal adjustments.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1998 page 21
Nicola Severino

'Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae' The Incredible Sundials of Athanasius Kircher

This article explores the extraordinary sundials documented in Athanasius Kircher's 17th-century masterpiece, Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae. It highlights Kircher's unique integration of gnomonics with esoteric disciplines like astrology and alchemy, showcasing innovative dials that provided astronomical data, medical advice, and even produced sound and fire.
Dials: Unusual, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1998 page 3
John Moir

Shadowy Secrets: The Lure of the Obscure (Part 1)

This article explores hidden meanings, symbolism, and imagery in sundials. It delves into devices like chronograms, palindromes, anagrams, rebuses, and "false identity" dials, presenting examples and puzzles (with solutions) related to cryptic inscriptions and designs.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Mottoes, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1998 page 8
Barry Mason

Helios XXII

This article introduces an innovative 'Helios XXII' sundial concept, designed as an architectural shell structure or summerhouse. It features a hemispherical dome with a reflective pool at its centre and a stainless steel rod circulating water creating ripples. Reflections from the water, with shadows from the concentric ripples, are projected onto the dome's underside, marking hours and seasons, aiming for a tranquil contemplative environment.
Construction Projects, Dials: Hemispherical, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1998 page 16
R. P. M. Holliday

Time's Tune on a Liquidambar Leaf

This article describes a unique sundial commission, featuring a gilded metal liquidambar leaf design. It incorporates an innovative equation-of-time correction system called 'Time's Tune,' which uses musical analogy to plot values on a treble clef. The dial provides a direct read-out of clock time with specific adjustments for longitude.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1998 page 24

Readers' Letters

This section features a collection of correspondence from readers covering diverse topics. These include the origin of Bernhardt Dials, methods for finding the meridian, updates on Newbury BSS meetings, a problematic sundial in Lluc, Mallorca, discussions on the 'Eureka' credit card compass, and inquiries about spherical and 'problematic' Italian dials.
Dialling Tools, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, The BSS and Members

October 1998 page 27
Allan A. Mills

International Sundial Symposium

This article reports on the International Sundial Symposium in Genk, Belgium, which showcased designs from an international competition. It describes several winning sundials, including polyhedral, polar, catenary, and an innovative digital sundial by Hans Scharstein, highlighting the diversity and ingenuity in contemporary gnomonic design.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual

October 1998 page 40
Mike Shaw

Journal Review

This article reviews *Compendium*, the journal of NASS, featuring J.M. Bores' new conical sundial design, measuring Babylonian and Italian hours, and an article by Robert L. Kellogg on Bede's cosmological and geographical works, including his observations on day-length variations. It also mentions a regular "Sightings" feature on notable dials.
Book Reviews, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

January 1997 page 43
Maurice Kenn

Sundials based on Lateral Thinking

Introduces creative sundial designs employing unconventional concepts. Encourages innovation in form and function while respecting core gnomonic principles.
Dials: Unusual

July 1997 page 13
Edmundo G.A. Marianeshi
Nicola Severino

The Floating Gnomon

Describes the making of an unusual device for regulating watches following a design from 1895. It finds solar noon, by measuring the times the sun is at the same elevation just before and after noon, using a sighting mechanism floating in a can of water to ensure it is horizontal.
Dials: Unusual, Dialling Tools, DIY Sundial Projects

July 1997 page 15
R. A. Nicholls
Michael Lowne

Window Dial at Apuldram, West Sussex

This article investigates a window dial in a church at Apuldram, using a vertical gnomon, thus being accurate on only two days in the year, one of which is the patronal saints day. It discusses the history of the church and the dial, and that the architectural changes to the church mean that the dial is now shaded for half the time.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

July 1997 page 34
Dr. G.B. Townsend

Sundial in Pajala, Sweden

Description of a very large, notable sundial in Pajala, Sweden, north of the Arctic Circle.
Dials: Horizontal, Dials: Unusual

July 1997 page 43
David Le Conte

The Guernsey Liberation Monument

This article details the design and construction of the Guernsey Liberation Monument, which includes a sundial as a central feature. The shadow falls on a curved bench with markers at times of significant events calibrated for the annual Liberation Day, 19 May. It discusses the challenges and the methods used to ensure the dial's accuracy and the shadow's visibility.
Construction Projects, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1997 page 21
Mike Cowham

St. Johann's Sundial

This article describes a large sundial on a school building in St. Johann im Pongau, Austria, made of glazed ceramic tiles. The author questions its usability due to the absence of hour numerals, requiring prior knowledge to interpret the times, and humorously nominates it as "The World's Most Useless Sundial".
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

February 1996 page 33

The Story of the Guernsey Liberation Monument

An account of the sundial monument built in Guernsey to mark its liberation during WWII, and its design.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

February 1996 page 34
Allan A. Mills

Refractive Sundials

A look at sundials that use lenses and refraction to tell time, particularly medieval concepts like the Dial of Ahaz.
Dials: Scaphe, Dials: Unusual

June 1996 page 42
Peter I. Drinkwater

Dürer’s Melancholia I: A Diallist’s Dilemma

An analytical discussion of the sundial-like instrument depicted in Dürer’s ‘Melancholia I’, considering artistic interpretation and gnomonic function.
Dials: Unusual

October 1996 page 13
David M. Colchester

A Polarized Skylight Sundial

A description of constructing a sundial that uses the polarisation of skylight rather than shadows to tell time, explaining the optical principles, historical references, and potential applications.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, DIY Sundial Projects

October 1996 page 16
Denis Schneider

More Thoughts on Moondials

An in-depth examination of moondial designs and historical interpretations, correcting common errors in classical references, and proposing refinements to improve accuracy and aesthetic integration.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

October 1996 page 21
Avraham Avitzour

Light Display Sundial

An innovative sundial design that projects light patterns as time indicators, demonstrating a creative approach to dialling aesthetics and function, with principles of optics.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

February 1995 page 2
Charles K. Aked

Bewcastle Cross

A detailed historical and archaeological analysis of the Bewcastle Cross in Cumbria, focusing on its origins, runic inscriptions, and the embedded early Christian sundial, alongside its stylistic comparisons with other Anglo-Saxon monuments.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

February 1995 page 49
John Moir

From Stretch Dial to the Double Helix

An innovative exploration of dial design evolution, tracing conceptual shifts from traditional layouts to experimental double helix arrangements.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1995 page 39
Allan A. Mills

The Canterbury Pendant

A detailed study of a multi-faced pendant dial designed to tell time on multiple surfaces, including its design, layout, and astronomical considerations.
Dials: Portable, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

October 1995 page 4
Charles K. Aked

The Ambassadors

A deep exploration of Holbein’s painting 'The Ambassadors', interpreting its rich symbolism, especially the dialling instruments depicted. The article covers the painting’s history, the identities of the subjects, and technical discussion of the dials, torquetum, and polyhedral sundial shown.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

October 1995 page 27
Maurice Kenn

A Large Translucent Universal Equatorial Sundial

A technical and descriptive account of a large equatorial sundial made from translucent materials, designed for broad geographic usability and visual impact, including discussion of its structure and application.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual

October 1995 page 35
J. P. Lester

Fundials

A creative examination of 'fundials', a whimsical category of dials built with humour, novelty, or playfulness in mind. The piece blends observation and storytelling with examples.
Dials: Unusual

February 1994 page 33
Peter I. Drinkwater

Curiosities of Dialling - Part 2, To Make Eccentric Sundials

Describes construction of eccentric sundials with non-standard hour lines and geometries. Focuses on design theory and practical outcomes.
Dials: Unusual, Mathematics of Dialling

June 1994 page 30
Allan A. Mills

An Ancient Chinese Sundial with 100 Divisions to the Day

An account of a rare Chinese sundial that divides the day into 100 equal parts, reflecting non-Western conceptions of time. The author explains its structure, cultural context, and implications for timekeeping history, offering a comparative view with European traditions.
Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

October 1994 page 32
Girolamo Fantoni

Windows and Balconies as Simple Sundials

This article explores the concept of using shadows cast by window sills, jambs, and parapets on floors and walls as simple sundials. It explains the gnomonic principles involved, detailing how the moving "shadow straight line" can indicate the hour. The author provides formulas and diagrams for calculating the shadow's position based on latitude, window sill height and orientation (declination), solar altitude, and azimuth. It outlines the process of drawing date and hour lines, noting practical considerations like difficult-to-read periods for certain sill orientations, and suggests applications for terraces and balconies, or even for single hour lines with time-zone and Equation of Time corrections.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

February 1993 page 30

Sir Charles Wheatstone's Solar Chronometer

This article describes Sir Charles Wheatstone's Solar Chronometer, pictured on the front cover, an instrument designed to indicate solar time with high accuracy. It explains its construction, featuring a lens-fitted tube on a polar axis with scales for latitude and sun's declination, intended as a primary standard for setting mechanical clocks.
Dials: Unusual

February 1993 page 36
Fred Sawyer

Bifilar Gnomonics

This paper elaborates on the theory and construction of bifilar sundials, a twentieth-century type invented by Hugo Michnik. It highlights their equiangular hour-lines, allowing direct reading of standard clock time by simple daily adjustment, and explains how time is indicated by the intersection of shadows from two horizontal threads.
Dials: Bifilar, Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1993 page 2
Giovanni Paltrinieri

Il Quarantale, An Unknown Instrument by Geminiano Montanari

This article details the discovery and analysis of the 'Quarantale', a lost gnomonic instrument invented by Geminiano Montanari, found through manuscript inscriptions related to a meridian line in Bologna. It explains how the instrument was designed for stellar observations, covering a 140° meridian arc to cover two apertures, by using a unique optical sight and mathematical calculations based on similar triangles, restoring its historical context.
Dials: Noon Lines, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials, Dials: Nocturnals

June 1993 page 40
Charles K. Aked

The Merton College Chapel Dial

This article describes the unusual sundial on the north wall of Merton College Chapel, Oxford, discussing its restoration and historical attribution to Henry Briggs or John Bainbridge. It analyses the confusing sets of lines, including declination and azimuth lines, and explains the dial's limited functionality (5.30 to 10.00 am in summer) due to its orientation and surrounding buildings, suggesting it was an academic exercise rather than a practical time indicator.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1993 page 42
John Briggs

Kircher's Sunflower Clock

This article explores Athanasius Kircher's Sunflower Clock, a theoretical and whimsical device described in his 1641 treatise that uses a sunflower's heliotropic movement to indicate time. It discusses the technical and etymological inaccuracy of the term sunclock for sundials, explains the sunflower's mechanism (a pointer against a circular scale), and questions the practicality of such a clock given the plant's limited functional period.
Dials: Unusual

October 1993 page 2
René R.-J. Rohr

The Sundial of the Old Franciscan Church in Rouffach

This article details the restoration of a unique astronomical chronogram sundial in Rouffach, France, dating from the early 17th century. It describes the fresco's depiction of planetary orbits based on Ptolemy and Tycho Brahe, highlighting challenges in deciphering faded inscriptions and the astrological significance of a lunar eclipse on the original dial's date in 1617.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials, Restoration projects, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1993 page 12
Fer J. de Vries

A Triple-Sundial

This article describes a unique sundial designed with three styles intersecting at a single point, allowing for the reading of various lines on the dial plane, including azimuth and astrological houses. An example dial is illustrated, delineated for latitude 52° with inclination and declination of 45°, demonstrating how different styles can indicate solar time or other phenomena.
Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

February 1992 page 11
Rear-Admiral (Rtd) Girolamo Fantoni (Italy)

Moondials

This article reviews historical techniques for telling time by the moon, noting their limited accuracy due to the moon's irregular movements and the need to convert lunar time to solar time. It describes methods like using correction tables (e.g., Queen's College, Cambridge, or Rene Rohr's diagram) and specific moondial instruments (Oronce Fine, Bion). The author also proposes a new model of lunar dial, adapting a horizontal sundial with "lunar hour lines" as spiral curves.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Nocturnals, Sundial Design & Layout

February 1992 page 16
Fred Sawyer

Foster's Diametral Sundial

This article describes Samuel Foster's diametral sundial, a horizontal dial with a movable stile where hour-points lie on a straight line. Its unique feature is that the shadow becomes retrograde daily at a selected hour, allowing for the recreation of the Biblical miracle of Ahaz's dial. The article provides construction details and mathematical justifications for this special form of elliptical dial, also attributing the original discovery of the circular hour-arc dial to Foster.
Dials: Unusual, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1992 page 10
Girolamo Fantoni

The Monumental Sundial in the Quirinale Gardens in Rome

This article describes a unique monumental cubical-cylindrical sundial from 1628 in Rome's Quirinale Gardens, 2.70 meters high, constructed of white marble. It features four concave quadrants indicating both civil/astronomical time and 'Italian time,' reflecting different timekeeping systems. The dial also includes zodiacal curves for calendrical indications and intricate Latin inscriptions from its author Theodosius Rubeus and patron Urbano VIII Barberini.
Dials: Cube, Dials: Multi Faced, Dials: Unusual, Historical Dials

June 1992 page 21
Allan A. Mills

Helical Sundials

This article introduces helical sundials as a variation of the equatorial dial, where the receiving surface extends axially along the gnomon in a helix. It describes a prototype by John Singleton, a monumental example in Lerida by J. Masuet, and Piet Hein's design at Egeskov Castle. There are two types: the first has a gnomon casting its shadow, the second uses the shadow cast by the other part of the helical strip. The article explains their operation, with the light/dark boundary marking time and hour markings set by the pitch.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

June 1992 page 24
H. Christopher H. Armstead

The Phoeboscope

The phoeboscope is presented as a self-sufficient instrument combining time-keeping, meridian-finding, and calendrical functions by detecting solar declination. Designed during WWII as an improvement of the existing sun-compass, its adoption was frustratingly held up in bureaucracy until too late to be useful. It uses a lens to focus sunlight onto a shadow-plate engraved with an analemma, allowing accurate determination of time, meridian, and date anywhere in the world without a watch or almanac.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Heliochronometer, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time

June 1992 page 38
Denis Schneider

A Tidal Dial

This article explores the concept of a tidal dial for estimating tidal times, acknowledging the moon's primary influence on tides over the sun. It discusses the 'Port Establishment' and 'Lunar Situation,' and how a specially designed watch or optical sight, combined with knowledge of the moon's age, could provide approximate tidal information globally, even correcting for hydrographic board errors.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Nocturnals

October 1992 page 2
Christopher Daniel

Domus Coelestis

This article describes 18th-century slate sundials at Tawstock and Marwood churches by John Berry, the Tawstock dial being notable for its "domifying circles" or "circles of position". Berry, a local stonemason probably had help from a Cambridge don in laying out these sophisticated dials. These unusual domus lines indicate which astrological (rather than astronomical) zodiacal house the sun is in. The dial also features zodiacal signs, time of noon in various places, azimuth lines, and diurnal arcs for day length.
Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Historical Dials

October 1992 page 27
Bernard Oakley

Dialling on Uranus

This article explores hypothetical sundial behaviour on Uranus, where the planet's axis tilt is almost 90 degrees. At solstices, the sun would appear stationary overhead at the pole, and a rod gnomon would cast no shadow. As the sun moves, shadows would form circles, indicating a sidereal day, with significant changes in day length at solstices, leading to a "missing" solar day.
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling

February 1991 page 18
J. G. Freeman

A Latitude-Independent Sundial.

Introduces the concept and a model of a sundial designed to tell time without needing to be constructed or adjusted for the specific latitude of the observer. The design utilizes a gnomon with a curved edge and relies on determining the sun's position based on its declination, altitude, and azimuth. The article details the construction of the scales, noting that the model has accuracy limitations, particularly at certain times of day
Dials: Unusual, Mathematics of Dialling, DIY Sundial Projects

July 1991 page 5
James Richard

The Spherical Sundial as a Mean-Time Dial

Building on Peter Drinkwater's work, this article explores adapting a spherical sundial to indicate mean time for six months of the year, by offsetting the hour marks away from the equator. This is possible because the slanting terminator at different solar declinations, adjusted for corresponding equation of time, happen to fall very close to one of two circles (within 1.5 minutes). The author also discusses using surface texture, like paint brush marks, to significantly improve the dial's readability and precision.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Equation of Time, Sundial Design & Layout

July 1991 page 14
J.G.T.M. Cabot

A Sundial for the Window Sill

This article presents a novel DIY sundial for a window sill, featuring a stationary reading point. The author explains the construction process: delineating a vertical sundial as if for exterior mounting, then rotating it 180 degrees about the horizontal axis perpendicular to the window. Read the time by watching the shadows of the hour lines pass a stationary reading point 'nodus' on a horizontal surface. Mirroring the hour figures allows them to be read legibly.
DIY Sundial Projects, Dials: Unusual, Dials: Vertical, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1991 page 4

Flower Power

This article describes "flower dials," a decorative 19th-century European garden method of telling time using flower beds designed as a clock face. Different flowers open at approximate hourly intervals during summer days, synchronized to local solar time. While less accurate and seasonal than sundials, a smaller version with a central sundial feature is suggested as an attractive garden addition.
Dials: Unusual

October 1991 page 28
Fer J. de Vries

A Sundial for the Blind

Gerard Sonius developed a sundial for the blind, located at the Bartimeus blind institution in Zeist, Netherlands. This equatorial rotating dial features figures in relief and an electronic device that emits a sound when pointing to the sun. Marks for summer and winter time allow blind users to determine the time in 5-minute intervals, with explanations provided in Braille and print.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout

October 1991 page 33
Maurice Kenn

Sundials can be simple and legible

Maurice Kern describes his simple, legible sundial made from commonplace materials, featuring a translucent semi-cylindrical dial and a conventional gnomon. Designed for readability from multiple angles, it indicates solar time and can be adjusted for local mean time or summer time using the Equation of Time, highlighting a frustration with complex and indistinct conventional dials.
Dials: Equatorial, Dials: Unusual, Sundial Design & Layout, DIY Sundial Projects

October 1991 page 37
J.A.F. de Rijk

A New Latitude-Independent Sundial

J.A.F. de Rijk describes a new, simple, and more accurate latitude-independent sundial, building upon Freeman's 1978 solution. This type of sundial can indicate local apparent solar time without requiring knowledge of the observer's latitude. The article explains the mathematical principles, focusing on how the product sin(Az)cos(h) and sin(T)cos(δ) are obtained and combined to determine the time (T).
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling, Sundial Design & Layout

February 1990 page 20
George P. Woodford

Look at It This Way.

This paper explores the concept of "regime angle" in sundials, defined as the angle between the style and the dial surface. It introduces the idea that the Earth itself acts as a "show case" for various shadow regimes and illustrates how shadow curves change with latitude, showing examples for locations from the North Pole to the South Pole. The article also features Mr. Woodford's "Amundsen" dial
Dials: Unusual, How Sundials Work, Mathematics of Dialling

November 1989 page 16
W. G. Benoy

Remote Reading Sundial.

A novel sundial system that uses fibre optics to display the time remotely. The system comprises a "sensor unit" placed in direct sunlight and a "display unit" located indoors, linked by flexible fibre optic cables. The sensor unit utilises a lens to focus sunlight onto a screen fitted with fibre optic ends positioned at five-minute intervals. These fibres transmit light to the display unit, which shows a moving point of light on a circular screen resembling a clock face. The system includes adjustments for latitude and Summer Time, and an extra fibre provides a double spot indication on the hour. The editor adds that this optical design, based on Benoy's patent, can indicate time even in hazy conditions and offers improved accuracy and contrast.
Dials: Unusual